The Flying Fox

The "fruit bat" otherwise known as "flying foxes" can be found generally anywhere in tropical climates of Asia, Australia, and the islands off East Africa. These Megabats differ from other bat species in a couple ways. Fruit bats rely on their keen sense of smell, rather than sight or echo-location like the other members of the bat family. They also posses an independant clawed second digit (a kind of thumbnail) at the top of each wing enabling them to hang right side up if need be. The bones in the wings are actually the bat's elongated fingers and are covered by a thin layer of skin stretching between each digit. Their wingspan can reach up to 1.5 m or 4 ft. 11 in. Like their name they eat primarily fruit, nectar, and blossoms. They sometimes travel up to 50 km a night to find a food source. Females usually give birth to only one offspring each year. The newborns rely on their mothers for warmth as they cling to them while mom goes foraging for the first three weeks.
Recent research has shown, since 1994, more than 24,500 grey-headed flying foxes have died from extreme heat events alone. These "Australian flying fox die-offs" are of increasing concern for the survival of this species now that climate models predict significant increases in the intensity, duration, and frequency of such temperature extremes.
To answer some of the growing threats, roost sites have been legally protected since 1986 in New South Wales and since 1994 in Queensland. In 1999, the species was classified as "Vulnerable to extinction".

If you want to see one check this link about raising an orphaned "pup"..pretty cool an informative. [link]

Faber Castell Polychromos colored pencil on grey pastel paper. Photo by Jeryl Tan.