Indian Flying Fox: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Creatures of the Night · day 5 of 7

Five facts

1. India's biggest bat is one of the largest in the world. It can weigh up to 1.6 kg, with wings 1.2 to 1.5 m across.
2. Thousands share one treetop camp, sometimes for more than ten years. On sunny days they fan their wings and call; when it is cloudy they go quiet.
3. It may travel 150 km looking for food and finds it by sight. In the branches it climbs quickly, hand over hand, to reach fruit.
4. About 300 plant species rely on it to spread their seeds. Nearly 70% of the seeds in its droppings come from the banyan, a key tree in India.
5. As of 1999, one Indian flying fox kept in captivity held its genus record: it lived for 31 years and 5 months.

The quiz

1. How much can an Indian flying fox weigh?

• Up to 100 g
• Up to 300 g
• Up to 1.6 kg (correct)
• Up to 5 kg

It is one of the world's largest bats, weighing up to 1.6 kg.

2. What do roosting bats do when the weather turns cloudy?

• Fly off to find the sun
• Fan their wings and call
• Fall silent and wrap their wings around themselves (correct)
• Dive into a river to bathe

When it is cloudy they stay quiet and fold their wings around their bodies.

3. How does the Indian flying fox find its food?

• By sight (correct)
• By echolocation
• By feeling the ground
• By tasting the air with its tongue

It travels far in search of food and finds it by sight.

4. Which tree makes up nearly 70% of the seeds in its droppings?

• Coconut palm
• Mango
• Teak
• Banyan (correct)

Nearly 70% of the seeds it spreads are from the banyan tree.

5. How long did the record-holding Indian flying fox live in captivity?

• 5 years
• 31 years and 5 months (correct)
• 12 years
• 50 years

It lived 31 years and 5 months, a record for its genus as of 1999.

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