“Human-sized” bat leaves people horrified
A “human-sized” megabat has gone viral on social media.
A photograph of the creature, which was spotted in the Philippines, reportedly first appeared on Reddit before it was circulated around social media pages in recent weeks.
Various captions described it as the endangered giant golden-crowned flying fox (Acerodon jubatus), but the animal in the picture does not seem to have the characteristic golden fur on its head. Some suggest that the animal could be a large flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus).
The megabat’s wingspan could reach up to 1.7m, but its body generally only grows up to 32cm in length and weighs less than 2kg.
Flying foxes are also known to feed on flowers, nectar and fruits. Unlike their microbat counterparts, flying foxes lack the ability to echolocate and instead rely on eyesight to navigate.