India’s largest species of bats, named after a canine fabled to be sly, spend 7% of their day-roosting time being environmentally vigilant, a new study has said.
The nectar and fruit-eating flying fox (Pteropus giganteus) is generally considered a vermin as they raid orchards. It had a similar official status under Schedule V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 until it was put on the Schedule II list entailing a higher degree of protection.
As a keystone species causing seed dispersals of many plants in tropical systems, the flying fox has fascinated zoologists over the years. This fascination took three scientists to southern Assam’s Barak Valley for 38 days in 2019.
