🦇 Giant Flying Fox (Pteropus vampyrus): One of the World’s Largest Bats
Meet the Pteropus vampyrus — one of the largest living bat species on Earth, native to Southeast Asia. Despite exaggerations online, its real wingspan reaches about 1.5–1.8 meters (≈5–6 ft) and it weighs around 1 kg, making it larger than most bats.
Common Name: Giant flying fox / Malayan flying fox
Size: Wingspan up to ~1.8 m; weight ~0.6–1.1 kg
Habitat: Forests and mangroves across Southeast Asia
Diet: Fruit, nectar & flowers — key seed disperser and pollinator
Role: Vital for forest ecology and plant regeneration
Expert Insight: Though not literally “17 m wide,” this impressive bat highlights how large and ecologically important some fruit bats can be.
#Wildlife #Bats #PteropusVampyrus #SoutheastAsia #Nature