Little red flying-foxes are comfortable with their upside-down life. Photo: Steve Wilson
The little red flying-fox is the November pin-up in the Year of the Wing, Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority’s celebration of birds and bats.
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“As with all species of flying fox, the little red flying-fox roosts by hanging upside down,” Goulburn Broken CMA project officer Janice Mentiplay-Smith said.
“Bats can’t launch into flight from the ground like a bird does, because their wings cannot generate enough lift, so they must do this ‘mid-drop’ as they release their grip from a tall tree.
“As well, hanging high up in a tree keeps them safe from predators.
“For us, holding on to a branch for any length of time would be excruciating, however the tendons in a bat’s feet have a locking mechanism that is kept taut by the bat’s body weight.
“This is an ingenious adaptation, as the bat does not need to expend precious energy to maintain a grip. The ‘self-locking’ tendons enable the bat to sleep and hang comfortably without risk of falling.”
Ms Mentiplay-Smith said bats’ knees, which are located high up on the leg close to the body, flex in the opposite direction to those of a human.
As their legs are integrated into their wing structure, the ability to rotate their legs allows for better control and manoeuvrability during flight.
Little red flying-foxes. Photo: Steve Wilson
“A bat’s circulatory system is designed for an upside-down life,” she said.
“Their heart and circulatory system are modified to avoid a ‘head rush’ that we humans experience.
“Not that it’s something many people may have considered, but when it comes to going to the toilet while hanging upside down, bats simply flip themselves upwards to ‘go’, and once finished, revert to hanging upside down again.
“This is important as it keeps the bat clean, but for the young bat pup clinging to its mother’s chest, it’s a necessity.”
Watching wildlife live and seeing them interact in their natural habitat can be a rare gift, especially the more difficult-to-spot animals such as flying foxes.
NSW National Parks offers a glimpse into the world of flying foxes with a live-stream of a colony of threatened grey-headed flying-foxes (close cousins of the little red flying-fox).
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