The huge golden-crowned bat, which has wings almost as broad as Tom Cruise, looks dreadful when it soars through the air spread-eagled, its lean, hairy body highlighting the size of its wings. When it’s roosting, its stretchy black cape makes it appear like a vampire.
Despite its intimidating size, the fruit-eating megabat, which is a member of a species that is unique to the Philippines, is harmless and shows no signs of attacking people.
People encroach on their habitat and hunt them illegally for sport or food, making them an endangered species.
People who were astonished by their size and predatory look were intrigued and terrified by viral photographs of these helpless, endangered creatures.They were initially referred to as “human-sized” bats when the first photographs went viral, but this erroneous description led to both confusion and panic.
There are a few things we need clarify before learning more about these unusual critters. First of all, they are not “human-sized” unless you are applying a very generous definition and comparing them to a “small child” rather than an average adult human.
With a wingspan of roughly 5-foot-6 and a body that ranges in size from seven inches to 11.4 inches and weighs less than 3 pounds, the enormous golden-crowned bat is one of the largest species of bats in the world.
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