The flying dog. The flying dog is a mammal of the bat

Krylan, or, as it is also called, a flying dog - a mammal of the order of bats. Sometimes they are also called volatile foxes. All members of this group of bats, unlike bats, inhabit exclusively warm regions: South and West Africa, Australia, South Asia and its islands and Oceania (in particular, Samoa and the Caroline Islands). Inhabitants live in the Maldives, Syria, southern Japan and southern Iran. In Russia, this species of animals is completely absent.

Who are they, these unusual animals?

Even the mention of bats in many causes negative emotions. For many years they were considered vampires, helpers of the devil or simply nasty animals. These animals can hardly cause great disgust. Moreover, many admirers of them believe that a flying dog can be an excellent pet.

The muzzles of the wings are very much like dogs or foxes. The structure of their skull is in some ways similar to the structure of the cranium of lower primates. The largest individuals have a wingspan of 150-170 cm. They use them as a blanket in cold weather, they use it as a fan in the heat. Dimensions in different species are significantly different, the length varies from 5 to 40 centimeters. Weight, respectively, varies from 15 to 900 grams. The flying dog has teeth that are adapted only to plant foods. The tongue of the wing is covered with papillae, and in small representatives of this species it is also very long. Wings are well developed sense of smell and vision. The color of a flying dog is usually dark brown, but there are individuals with a greenish, yellowish tinge or white spots on the wings. Males have a brighter color, and females - and smaller sizes, and color is much more modest.

Features of the view

The flying dog has one interesting feature - it does not have a tail. In some other species, it is, but very small. And only one representative of the fishes has a luxurious tail, for which he was called a long-tailed winged frog. The flying foxes also have rather unusual legs: a tenacious and long claw, and the last phalanx is present only on the first and much less frequently on the second finger. The interbed membrane in many species is underdeveloped. The intestine in the flying dog is 4 times longer than its body.

Animals have a good sense of smell, but only some of them use echolocation (in particular, the rousetous family) in order to orient themselves in space. The sounds that the wings issue are also very original. Rosetussy, for example, give a voice that looks like a tick, with takeoff and landing.

Types of flying dogs

Wings 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 its nice 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 easily trained. In addition to the Egyptian wing, there is also a Comorian, voice-taped, tench-tailed, Madagascar, Ugandan flying dog.

Lifestyle

Activity in animals is observed only with the arrival of night. In the afternoon they hang on branches of trees, where they become like a bunch of dry leaves or a strange tropical fruit. They can also rest in caves, cracks in rocks, in attics and in hollows. However, it should be noted that the frogs show daily activity. In hibernation, flying foxes do not fall. During the night, the wings can travel a distance of up to 100 km.

A flying dog (bat or fox) is a social animal. They live predominantly in colonies, which sometimes reach 1,000 individuals. It is also noted that when feeding they put on sentries, and in general in the pack it is accepted to protect and help each other. Palm wings form a group of 10,000 or more individuals that can settle even in large cities.

Offspring

The female gives offspring only once a year, producing, as a rule, one baby (very rarely two). Pregnancy on average lasts approximately 115-120 days. At birth, the female does not change its traditions and hangs its head down, and its wings close, 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 wool. Until the baby learns to fly, Mom carries it with him. Feeding with milk ends approximately when the baby reaches 3 months of age. The grown up individuals are poisoned with the mother for hunting. To prevent the baby from getting lost, the female feeds it with ultrasound. Sexual maturity of the winged fledglings reach about 9 months.

Food

The flying dog eats such tropical fruits as mango, avocado, coconut, banana, guava, papaya and others. Fruits they tear directly on the fly or, hanging next to one leg. They eat out the flesh or drink the juice. Small fishes eat pollen or nectar of flowers. Pipe-bearing flying dogs, in addition to fruits, also eat insects. Animals also drink water, sometimes even sea water. Thus, they, in all probability, compensate for the lack of salt in the food consumed.

Lifespan

Information on the longevity of animals is 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 record holder, who has already passed for 25 years.

Meaning for man

Some tribes consume the meat of a flying fox for food. Wings significantly help spread seeds, and nectar eating species are able to pollinate plants. Examples of such plants can be a sausage tree and a baobab. However, despite the considerable benefit of flying dogs, they often harm plantations of garden trees.

Human activity leads to a gradual reduction in the population of flying dogs. There are fewer and fewer places for the fishers to stay for a day's sleep. Many countries are concerned about this situation, and therefore many activities are carried out to preserve this species.