Hammerhead Bat
I've always been fascinated by Bats ever since I found one dead. (I think it was a common pipistrelle.) I was amazed by how small and delicate it was but with razor sharp teeth.
The Hammerhead Bat is a Bat that I've only just learnt about in the last year.
Below are some facts and pictures.
The Hammerhead Bat is a Bat that I've only just learnt about in the last year.
Below are some facts and pictures.
Enjoy...Steve...
That is One Big Nose.
Only the male Hammer-Headed Bat is blessed with such a large head, which they use to create incredibly loud honking noises. The large nose, larynx and lips allow the male bat create sounds that are extremely resonant. The females on the other hand have a head that is about 3 times smaller than their male counterparts. In fact, their head looks more like a regular ol’ fruit bat. It is funny how the males are always the ones that have to go out of their way to try and impress their female friends.
Pick Me, Pick Me.
Competition for female attention is quite fierce in the Hammer-Headed Bat population. Typically, males will all gather together in a group, which can contain as many as 130 individuals, At this point the female will fly over and assess the entire group of males. She will pick her favourite by landing on a branch next to the lucky winner. I guess it is kind of like picking baseball teams when you were a kid…..I feel bad for the last bat that never gets picked, but I guess that is life. He will just need to go back and work on getting an even larger nose for next year.
The Hammer-Headed Bat is the largest bat in Africa with a wingspan between 686 to 970 mm (2.3 – 3.2 feet). Typically, the males are larger than the females, which makes sense since they need to be able to carry that big head around all day. Although, it may be tempting to go up and pet this large, hammer-headed creature, you need to realize that this particular bat species is one of the 3 fruit bats in Africa that carry the Ebola virus, without showing any symptoms. Not only are they huge but they can also be deadly!
Crazy :)
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