A winged or, as it is also called, a flying dog is a mammal of the bat group. Sometimes they are also called flying foxes. All representatives of this group of bats, unlike bats, inhabit extremely warm regions: South and West Africa, Australia, South Asia and its islands, and Oceania (in particular, Samoa and the Caroline Islands). Flying dogs live in the Maldives, in Syria, in southern Japan and in southern Iran. In Russia, this type of animal is completely absent.
Who are these unusual animals?
Even the mention of bats in many causes negative emotions. For many years they were considered vampires, devil's helpers, or just vile animals. These little animals are unlikely to cause severe disgust. Moreover, many fans believe that a flying dog can be a great pet.
The faces of the winged birds are very much like dog or foxes. The structure of their skull is in some ways similar to the structure of the skull of the lower primates. The largest individuals have a wingspan of 150-170 cm. They are used as a blanket in cold weather, and used as a fan in the heat. The sizes of different species differ significantly, the length varies from 5 to 40 centimeters. Weight, respectively, varies from 15 to 900 grams. A flying dog has teeth that are adapted only to plant foods. The tongue of the winged wing is covered with papillae, and in small representatives of this species it is also very long. The winged animals have a well-developed sense of smell and vision. The color of the flying dog is usually dark brown, however, individuals with a greenish, yellowish tint or with white spots on the wings are found. Males have a brighter color, and females have smaller sizes, and the color is much more modest.
View Features
A flying dog has one interesting feature - it does not have a tail. Some other species have it, but very small. And only one representative of the winged wing has a magnificent tail, for which he was called the long-tailed winged wing. Flying foxes also have rather unusual paws: a tenacious and long claw and the last phalanx are present only on the first and much less often on the second finger. The femoral membrane is underdeveloped in many species. The intestines of a flying dog are 4 times longer than its body.
Animals have a well-developed sense of smell, but only some of them use echolocation (in particular, the genus of roseetuses) in order to navigate in space. The sounds made by the winged birds are also very original. Rosetus, for example, give a voice that looks like a tick, during takeoff and landing.
Types of Flying Dogs
Birds are divided into many species. For example, an Egyptian flying dog. Despite its name, this species is distributed not only in Egypt, but also almost throughout the African continent, as well as in Pakistan, the Middle East, and northern India. Due to their cute appearance, some people prefer to keep this species as pets. This is due to the fact that they do not have an unpleasant odor and are easy to learn. In addition to the Egyptian winged wing, there is also a Comorian, bare-backed, tenacious tail, Madagascar, Uganda flying dog.
Lifestyle
Activity in animals is observed only with the advent of night. In the afternoon, they hang on tree branches, where they become like a bunch of dry leaves or a strange tropical fruit. They can also relax in caves, rock crevices, in attics and in hollows. However, it is worth noting that the winged animals show daily activity. Flying foxes do not hibernate. Birds can travel up to 100 km during the night.
A bat dog (bat or fox) is a social animal. They live mainly in colonies, which sometimes reach 1000 individuals. It is also noted that during feeding they set sentries, and in general it is customary to protect and help each other in the pack. Palm winged birds form a group of 10,000 or more individuals that can settle even in large cities.
Progeny
The female gives birth only once a year, producing, as a rule, one baby (very rarely two). Pregnancy lasts approximately 115-120 days. During childbirth, the female does not change her traditions and hangs head down, and closes her wings, forming something like a cradle. First, the newborn falls into the wings, and then crawls to the mother’s chest and clings to the nipple.
Children are born already sighted and covered with hair. Until the baby learns to fly, mom carries it with her. Milk feeding ends when the baby is 3 months old. Mature individuals are poisoned with their mother on a hunt. So that the cub is not lost, the female gives him a signal using ultrasound. Birds of puberty reach maturity at about 9 months.
Food
The flying dog eats tropical fruits such as mango, avocado, coconut, banana, guava, papaya and others. They pick fruits directly on the fly or, hanging next to one leg. They eat pulp or drink juice. Small bats feed on pollen or nectar of flowers. Tubular-winged flying dogs, in addition to fruits, also eat insects. Animals also drink water, sometimes even sea water. Thus, in all likelihood, they compensate for the lack of salt in the food consumed.
Life span
Information about the life span of animals is rather scarce. According to some reports, it is believed that in natural conditions they can live for about 7-8 years. In captivity, they usually live up to 17-20 years, but there is also a champion who has already exceeded 25 years.
Value for man
Some tribes eat flying fox meat. Birds help significantly distribute seeds, and nectar-eating species can pollinate plants. Examples of such plants are sausage tree and baobab. However, despite the significant benefits of flying dogs, they often harm garden plantations.
Human activity leads to a gradual reduction in the population of flying dogs. Less and less places at the winged wings remain for daytime sleep. Many countries are concerned about this situation, and as a result, they are conducting many activities to preserve this species.