Some flying foxes are diurnal, so just staying in at night might not cut it. Then again, unless you are are juicy mango you probably don't have anything to worry about.
Incidentally, third photo down appears mostly to be corvids (i.e. birds), there may be some bats in there too, hard to say.
And yes, there is some major forced perspective going on in that first photo, I can't find reliable info on the maximum height of Pteropus but I'm guessing it's half a meter or so, still an impressive bat.
I'd love to know the story behind that first photo. I'm jealous of the people who get to feed bananas to flying foxes! Not that I'm likely to ever have the opportunity, but I can dream, can't I? :-)
I love bats, especially the flying fox variety here in Quensland. The are so gosh darn cute!!! And they're fruitivores so nothing to be scared of, people! Except when they crap on your car. That stuff melts paint!!!!!!!!!!!
An amazing thing about the flying foxes is that they're not in the same family as the small, bug-eating bats. They're actually more closely related to primates - i.e., us - than they are to carnivorous/insectivorous bats.
And I would love to go to the flying fox reserve in Australia just for the chance to cuddle one.
@ Casey: while the idea that "megachiropteran" fruit bats and "microchiropteran" echolocating bats are not closely related to one another has been proposed several times, genetic studies have now confirmed that they are more closely related to each other than either group is to any other group of mammals (including primates) and powered flight probably evolved only once among mammals. "Microchiroptera" itself may not be monophyletic but that's another story....
Please tell me that bat in the first picture is just reeeeeaaaaally close to the camera and the people aren't as close as they look.
ReplyDeleteFuck that's a big bat!
ReplyDeleteBats are awesome!
ReplyDeleteI'll be staying indoors the next few nights.
ReplyDeleteSome flying foxes are diurnal, so just staying in at night might not cut it. Then again, unless you are are juicy mango you probably don't have anything to worry about.
Incidentally, third photo down appears mostly to be corvids (i.e. birds), there may be some bats in there too, hard to say.
And yes, there is some major forced perspective going on in that first photo, I can't find reliable info on the maximum height of Pteropus but I'm guessing it's half a meter or so, still an impressive bat.
I'd love to know the story behind that first photo. I'm jealous of the people who get to feed bananas to flying foxes! Not that I'm likely to ever have the opportunity, but I can dream, can't I? :-)
ReplyDeleteI love bats, especially the flying fox variety here in Quensland. The are so gosh darn cute!!! And they're fruitivores so nothing to be scared of, people! Except when they crap on your car. That stuff melts paint!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWombat, do you really think these guys are ugly? That first pic is cute enough to merit extra Es in this: squeeeeeeeeeee so cute.
ReplyDeleteI think they're absolutely adorable. I waaaaaant one.
ReplyDeleteThe librarian is correct. These range from cute to awesome. Time for some dung-imitating spiders again. Ahhh...good times.
ReplyDeleteMan-Bat!
ReplyDeleteThis made my day.
An amazing thing about the flying foxes is that they're not in the same family as the small, bug-eating bats. They're actually more closely related to primates - i.e., us - than they are to carnivorous/insectivorous bats.
ReplyDeleteAnd I would love to go to the flying fox reserve in Australia just for the chance to cuddle one.
@ Casey: while the idea that "megachiropteran" fruit bats and "microchiropteran" echolocating bats are not closely related to one another has been proposed several times, genetic studies have now confirmed that they are more closely related to each other than either group is to any other group of mammals (including primates) and powered flight probably evolved only once among mammals. "Microchiroptera" itself may not be monophyletic but that's another story....
ReplyDeleteIncredible photos!
ReplyDeleteIch liebe Tiere (auch Pflanzen) und ich finde es unverständlich und dumm, dass viele Menschen Fledermäuse und Flughunde eklig finden.
ReplyDeleteEs ist eine verrückte Welt, anonymous.
ReplyDeleteThat last bat photo is bat-tastic!
ReplyDeleteOMG! The first bat is freaky!
ReplyDelete