The simple bat.
Nature's premier airborne environmental
quality control officers.
Yet there is one species of these soaring mammals
with a wingspan so freakishly long,
glimpsing one in the wild can understandably send
shivers down a person's spine.
A literal cold-blooded creature so impressive in size,
people prefer to call it
a flying fox.
And when it takes flight,
it defines what we've come to know as a megabat.
It's huge,
Get ready for an unforgettable introduction
to the largest bat on the planet,
Named after the yellow-golden fur
on the top of its head,
this bat and its natural crown is native to several islands
in the Philippines.
It's the only region on the planet you'll find them.
Speaking of crowns,
this member of the flying fox family claims one
for having a wingspan of 1.7 m (5'7").
When these wings are spread out,
the giant golden-crowned flying fox is as wide
as Tom Cruise is tall.
Add to this the long claws on its five-toed feet
and freakishly glaring eyes, and you could forgive
someone like Mission Impossible's Ethan Hunt
for being a little nervous 'hanging' around with one.
If it's an attack you're worried about, relax.
Giant golden-crowned flying foxes could care less about
humans as a food source.
What we do need to remember is they can be
carriers for potentially lethal diseases,
such as the Reston strain of the Ebola virus.
As one of 65 members of the flying fox family,
the giant golden-crowned iteration
has a small head and ears,
with a bodyweight of up to 1.2 kg (2.6 lb).
Doesn't seem like it's packing much heft, does it?
It's also rare for this herbivore to have a length
in excess of 29 cm (11.5 in).
So what's the deal with the all-natural wingsuit
it's been bestowed with by Mother Nature?
In one night,
this halo-headed megabat
can cover a distance of 40 km (25 mi).
That's some serious long-distance travel
for any animal,
so having a smaller body helps conserve energy
while its uber-wings do the gliding.
When it's time to grab a branch and get some rest,
the wings also act as built-in sleeping bags
to help conserve body heat.
Those big eyes serve an important purpose.
The giant golden-crowned flying fox isn't equipped
with echolocation like many other bats.
Instead, it packs a one-two punch with great eyesight
and the ability to smell their next meal through
the thickest patch of mango trees and swampy forests
they call home.
When the dinner bell does ring,
this bat is on the hunt for one simple meal: Figs.
That's right.
It might look like it's flown out of someone's nightmares,
but things are okay
but this flying fox is hyper-focused on the fruit,
seeds and leaves of the Ficus subcordata fig tree.
Nothing else will do.
They're considered a keystone species for Philippine forests,
and they've earned the honor due to their ability to spread
the seeds of their meals via their feces
during marathon flights.
The more these flying foxes poop,
the better off the ecosystem they live in is.
Unfortunately,
humans have been making life difficult for not just
the giant golden-crowned flying fox,
but 10 other species of Philippine flying foxes
that are all on the endangered or threatened list with it.
There are less than 20,000 golden-crowned bats
left in the wild
and since the species only mates once yearly
with one pup born to each paired couple,
stabilizing those population numbers is difficult.
And they're running out of space to call home.
90% of lush forests in the Philippines have been
wiped out due to logging,
mining and urban development.
Sure, they might appear a little ominious to us,
but to the natural world
the giant golden-crowned flying fox
and it's intimidating size is a much-needed ecosystem
anchor darting across the night skies.
Wings larger than a person,
poop that brings life to the forest
and an unrivaled fig fetish
all make this megabat wierdly wonderful.
It's also what makes them
say it with me now