Shirley
07-31-2006, 09:07 AM
This is an Indian Flying Fox Bat... part of a presentation on bats at the Indiana State Museum this weekend.
http://shirleymorgan.com/misc/Bat/bat-231.jpg
When I moved my hand close to him, he responded much as Skyler does when shown something he's not familiar with -- Making himself BIG!
http://shirleymorgan.com/misc/Bat/bat-wingspan-237.jpg
And this is his "bat walk" back and forth across the branch. He has a wing injury which prevents flight and requires he be in captivity.
http://shirleymorgan.com/misc/Bat/bat-walk-234.jpg
More Bat-walking
http://shirleymorgan.com/misc/Bat/bat-walk-229.jpg
Getting ready to walk again
http://shirleymorgan.com/misc/Bat/bat-236.jpg
Oh - there's that human hand again!!
http://shirleymorgan.com/misc/Bat/bat-wingspan-228.jpg
Information from: http://www.americazoo.com/goto/index/mammals/54.htm
Location: India.
Habitat: Prefers tropical and subtropical forests.
Description: This is a very large bat with a foxlike head and ears, large eyes, two claws on its wings, and no tail. Its fur is coarse, with a reddish brown head with dark muzzle, the neck and shoulders are yellow, the back is brown, and it is yellowish brown on the belly. Its length is about 9 in, with a forearm of about 6.8 in, and it weighs 20 to 22 oz.
Behavior: With a wingspan up to 4 feet, this is one of the largest of the 67 species of flying foxes. The largest has a wingspan of five feet. This Indian species is commonly seen during the day roosting in large colonies, or "camps," high up in the trees. They spend the morning chattering and jockeying for preferred roosting sites on the branches, where they hang by their feet. They pass most of the day asleep with their wings wrapped around themselves. At night they fly to favorite foraging areas, where they feed in the trees on all sorts of ripe fruit (except citrus). The flying fox swallows only the juice, spitting out the pulp.
Reproduction: A single young is born in February, after a gestation of 140 to 150 days, and clings to its mother for about two months until nearly full size.
http://shirleymorgan.com/misc/Bat/bat-231.jpg
When I moved my hand close to him, he responded much as Skyler does when shown something he's not familiar with -- Making himself BIG!
http://shirleymorgan.com/misc/Bat/bat-wingspan-237.jpg
And this is his "bat walk" back and forth across the branch. He has a wing injury which prevents flight and requires he be in captivity.
http://shirleymorgan.com/misc/Bat/bat-walk-234.jpg
More Bat-walking
http://shirleymorgan.com/misc/Bat/bat-walk-229.jpg
Getting ready to walk again
http://shirleymorgan.com/misc/Bat/bat-236.jpg
Oh - there's that human hand again!!
http://shirleymorgan.com/misc/Bat/bat-wingspan-228.jpg
Information from: http://www.americazoo.com/goto/index/mammals/54.htm
Location: India.
Habitat: Prefers tropical and subtropical forests.
Description: This is a very large bat with a foxlike head and ears, large eyes, two claws on its wings, and no tail. Its fur is coarse, with a reddish brown head with dark muzzle, the neck and shoulders are yellow, the back is brown, and it is yellowish brown on the belly. Its length is about 9 in, with a forearm of about 6.8 in, and it weighs 20 to 22 oz.
Behavior: With a wingspan up to 4 feet, this is one of the largest of the 67 species of flying foxes. The largest has a wingspan of five feet. This Indian species is commonly seen during the day roosting in large colonies, or "camps," high up in the trees. They spend the morning chattering and jockeying for preferred roosting sites on the branches, where they hang by their feet. They pass most of the day asleep with their wings wrapped around themselves. At night they fly to favorite foraging areas, where they feed in the trees on all sorts of ripe fruit (except citrus). The flying fox swallows only the juice, spitting out the pulp.
Reproduction: A single young is born in February, after a gestation of 140 to 150 days, and clings to its mother for about two months until nearly full size.