What are flying foxes?

            Do foxes fly? No foxes have ever been found flying so far, except in fairy tales. However, some fox-lookalikes have flying abilities. In fact, a species of bats are known as flying foxes. Flying foxes are a species of fruit bat. As you might have guessed, their diet consists mainly of fruits. They are named flying foxes because of their fox-like heads and reddish brown fur. There are over 160 species of flying foxes found widely through South East Asia and North East Australia, where they inhabit tropical rainforests.

             Like most bats, the flying fox is nocturnal and roosts in trees during the day in large groups called ‘camps’, which may contain thousands of individuals. They sleep hanging from branches by their feet and keep themselves cool by fanning themselves with their large wings. They are the largest bats. Some attain a wingspan of frightening 1.5 metres.

Picture credit: google