This is an animal that belongs to the order of bats. There are several suborders in this squad: bats, fruit bats. Flying dogs or Nile fruit bats are among the latter. They are capable of echolocation, which helps them find their food even in pitch darkness. They usually feed on fruits and insects.
At the moment, the species is practically not threatened and it is found quite often in nature. But more recently, animals suffered from the fact that cities are growing faster, and therefore they have no place for daytime sleep.
View and person
Throughout the history of mankind, the species evoked in humans mostly negative emotions, such as fear, disgust. In the Middle Ages, flying dogs were considered an evil that helps sorcerers. All this was due to the strange appearance of animals, which scared people away. In 1938 it was found that the Nile fruit bats are able to perceive ultrasound and thus can “see” very small objects with their ears. This is due to living in dark caves.
So, thanks to science, bats have ceased to be something frightening and now people calmly have such pets. It is important that they are easy to tame thanks to their quick wits. But there are also disadvantages of such a neighborhood: animals like to fly at night, moreover, they do it very loudly. At this time, they also really want to communicate, they can sleep on their master. They are also not neat in terms of toilet procedures and do it throughout the apartment. So, do not feed them before letting them fly – the metabolism of these bats can be envied. It is equally important that animals easily knock over objects that are not fixed and can bite – this cannot be eradicated even by training. They live for about 20 years, even in captivity, so before you get such a pet, you should think about it.
In the wild, flying dogs “attack” plantations of various fruits and pollinate flowers in the process of flight, increasing the yield. However, in the relationship between the species and the person, everything is different. In some countries, these animals are considered a delicacy, therefore they are often hunted. In the 2000s, scientists discovered that fruit bats carry Ebola and another equally dangerous Marburg virus in the Congo.
Habitat
Flying dogs live in the Eastern Hemisphere, they prefer the tropics. They can be found in many biotopes at sea level and above. Most of the colonies of these animals live in the Mediterranean, in countries such as Turkey and Pakistan. You can also meet Nile fruit bats in Africa next to the Nile, that is, in Egypt, and even in the territory located in the south and north of the Sahara.
Appearance
Since flying dogs are bats, their aircraft consists of membranes stretched between the limbs. They run along the hips to the tail of the animals. The fruit bats have a very sharp claw on their paws, located on the first toe. They use it to climb. In general, animals are larger than bats. Their body length varies from 13 to 15 cm, and its weight is from 100 to 160 grams. The tail of flying dogs is small and less than a centimeter in length. The head is slightly elongated, the eyes are rather large. The shape of the nostrils is tubular, they are separated by a furrow. The ears of the Nile fruit bats are small, they are constantly moving. The color of the animals is predominantly dark, but lighter on the belly. The cover is rather short and soft. Sexual dimorphism is expressed in size: males are larger than females, they have reddish or brown spots on their necks.
Lifestyle
Usually Egyptian flying dogs live in large colonies, where there can be hundreds or thousands of individuals. They can live in hollows and abandoned buildings. Animals fly quickly and can cover several tens of kilometers at a time. Sometimes the sense of smell is used to navigate. They often migrate due to a decrease in the amount of food, this process is well organized.
After an active nightlife, the animals return home. They hang upside down and hold onto the walls of their dwelling and fall asleep. Animals sleep together, usually they are closely pressed to each other. However, the Nile fruit bats do not sleep much, they spend a lot of time on “battles” during which they screech loudly. When communicating with each other, they also use squeaks and trills.
Flying dogs are also very sympathetic. They usually scratch each other, hug each other in their sleep, or lick each other. They also love to take care of themselves, especially their claws – animals bite them.
Eating behavior
Animals eat plant foods, preferring figs, bananas and citrus fruits. They like sweet fruits that are very high in calories. They often eat flowers, parts of carob and cotton plants. They can suck the juices out of the stems. Usually, Nile fruit bats eat only ripe fruits, while others simply suck the juice and then spit it out. Animals do not carry food into the cave, with the exception of females, who transfer food to their cubs.
After eating, flying dogs always cleanse their coat and elastic membranes by licking. They also clean their teeth with their claws on both the front and back legs. Such procedures are useful because they rid the fruit bats of fleas and ticks.
Reproduction and offspring
Females become sexually mature when they reach the age of two. The breeding season is short-lived – from early summer to September. They bear cubs for about 4 months. Usually only one baby is born, although twins can also be born. It is important that all females in the colony give birth at the same time. The little Nile fruit bat first grabs the hair of the mother, and then the nipple. At first, the eyes of the cub are closed, the ears are folded.
On the tenth day of life, the eyes open, the ears begin to move. For six weeks, the female carries the baby on herself. Then she already actively flies in search of food, leaving the cub hanging in the cave. The mother’s return is indicated by her smell and voice, which are easily recognizable for posterity. The female feeds him for about two months. After that, the cub quickly learns to fly and begins to feed on fruits and leaves. When he turns 4 months old, the animal lives separately and can contact the female only during the day.
