This is a hammerhead fruit bat. Differences in appearance between females and males of the same species are called sexual dimorphism, and it is very pronounced in hammerhead bats. The entire body of males is designed in such a way that they turn into small winged mouthpieces. Their larynx and air sacs are 3 times larger than those of females. The vocal apparatus is so massive that all other organs are constantly in a compressed form. For male winged bats, this modification was not enough, so they also decided to reshape their heads. Yes, this bug, which is replaced by a muzzle in ordinary animals, has been modified by a hammerhead bat into a megaphone. Inside the large square nose there is a wide sinus, which acts as an additional sound amplifier, but the bats apparently decided not to disturb the rest of the body. They have no tail at all, and the structure of their wings cannot ensure long flight – the animals are too heavy. Despite the fact that the wingspan of bats is quite large – 90 cm! But a bat eats quite a lot: the weight of an adult male reaches almost half a kilogram, and females weigh half as much! But bats really need to fly. Their diet consists exclusively of fruits. There are quite a few fruit trees in Central Africa, but the males are very selective in what they eat. For a juicy delicacy, they are ready to go to uncharted territories and fly up to 10 km at night! Females prefer to use already explored routes, even if this does not involve the most delicious dinner. Males use their entire household, built over the years of development, during the dry season. Hammerhead Don Juans, numbering up to 100, gather on tree branches and begin to scream heartbreakingly. Females, like true fans of a dead cannonball, rush to those trees where the cry will be louder. According to the classics, the most successful men are the loudest; There are only 6% of them in the team. And they become the fathers of the majority of newborn mice – 79%, to be more precise. The meeting of “lovers” lasts a measly 30-60 seconds, after which the couple separates forever. The male calls for a new mate, and the female flies off into the sunset and begins to prepare for the birth of her cubs. After six months, the mother gives birth to 1-2 cubs. There is no exact data on the natural enemies of hammerhead bats. But it is known that due to vocal activity and feeding habits, the animal is considered a pest in many African countries. A very tasty pest. There is no confirmed evidence that hammerheads carry corona or Ebola, the population of the species is not threatened, which is why locals eat night hammerhead bats instead of KFC wings.
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