To help exemplify the overall phenomenon of flying foxes shrinking, two specimens from the Field Museum's collections. The smaller specimen on the left is from 1995; the larger specimen on the right is from 1948. (Field Museum via SWNS)
By Talker
The world’s biggest bats are shrinking, reveals new research.
×
Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ac^_b^ag^F=EC2\C2C6\FAD:56\5@H?\3:CE9\@7\32E\42AEFC65\@?\42>6C2\7@C\E96\7:CDE\E:>6^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQmu=J:?8 7@I 7CF:E 32EDk^2m 2C6 86EE:?8 D>2==6C — 2?5 :E >2J 36 5@H? E@ 9F>2? 9F?E6CD[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 DEF5J]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmr@>A2C:D@?D @7 E96 32ED H:E9 d\7@@E H:?8DA2?D 4@==64E65 @G6C E:>6 :? |25282D42C DF886DED E92E E96 3:886DE @?6D 2C6 D6=64E:G6=J 9F?E65[ D2J D4:6?E:DED]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96:C 7:?5:?8D[ AF3=:D965 :? E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^24256>:4]@FA]4@>^;>2>>2=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQmy@FC?2= @7 |2>>2=@8Jk^2m[ D9@H E92E E96 8:2?E 7CF:E 32ED 92G6 366? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ae^_a^ab^D4:6?E:DED\5:D4@G6C\3:C5D\2C6\86EE:?8\D>2==6C\2C@F?5\E96\H@C=5^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQm86EE:?8 D>2==6Ck^2m @G6C D6G6C2= 564256D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 C6D62C49 E62>[ 7C@> r9:428@’D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]7:6=5>FD6F>]@C8^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQmu:6=5 |FD6F>k^2m :? E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D[ DFDA64ED E96 EC6?5 :D C6=2E65 E@ 2? :?4C62D6 :? =2C86\D42=6 4@>>6C4:2= 9F?E:?8]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96J 925 ?@E:465 E92E 7=J:?8 7@I D<F==D 2?5 D<:?D AC6D6CG65 :? E96 >FD6F>’D 4@==64E:@?D D66>65 E@ 36 =2C86C E92? >6>36CD @7 E96 D2>6 DA64:6D E96J 6?4@F?E6C65 H9:=6 5@:?8 C646?E 7:6=5H@C< :? |25282D42C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 C6D62C496CD H@?56C65 H9J E96 >@56C? 32ED H6C6 D>2==6C E92? E96 @=56C @?6D 4@==64E65 564256D 62C=:6C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm$EF5J =625 2FE9@C t>:=J #F9D D2:5i “x H2D E9:?<:?8 23@FE 2 >:==:@? 5:776C6?E 2?8=6D E@ 6IA=2:? H9J E96 32ED H6C6 86EE:?8 D>2==6C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm“x H@?56C65 :7 :E H2D C6=2E65 E@ 492?86D :? E6>A6C2EFC6 @C 923:E2E]”k^Am
Emily Cornelius Ruhs measuring the skull of a Madagascar flying fox in the Field Museum's collections. (Field Museum via SWNS)
By Talker
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmqFE H96? D96 DA@<6 E@ 96C 4@==628F6 $E6G6 v@@5>2? 23@FE :E[ 96 925 2 5:776C6?E 9JA@E96D:D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm~? E96 32D:D @7 ?2E:@?2= =68:D=2E:@? @7 |25282D42C[ E96 7CF:E 32ED 2C6 4@?D:56C65 “G6C>:?” 2DD@4:2E65 H:E9 E96:C 4@?DF>AE:@? @7 4@>>6C4:2==J :>A@CE2?E 7CF:ED]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmp?5 7=J:?8 7@I6D 2D 2 82>6 DA64:6D 2C6 4FCC6?E=J 9F?E65 7@C 7@@5 2E 2 =2C86 D42=6 :? 46CE2:? A2CED @7 E96 :D=2?5 ?2E:@?]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmv@@5>2?[ E96 u:6=5 |FD6F>’D @?=J 7F==\E:>6 7:6=5 3:@=@8:DE[ 92D 366? =:G:?8 2?5 H@C<:?8 :? |25282D42C 7@C ?62C=J c_ J62CD]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw6 ?@E:465 D@>6E9:?8 D:8?:7:42?E 27E6C =@@<:?8 2E =2E6 `gE9 2?5 `hE9 46?EFCJ >FD6F> DA64:>6?D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmv@@5>2? D2:5i “|2?J @7 E96D6 2?:>2=D H6C6 @7 >@?DE6C D:K6 4@>A2C65 E@ 2?:>2=D H6 92?5=6 E@52J]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm“w6?46[ E96 :562 H2D 7@C>65 E92E E96J 92G6 5:>:?:D965 :? 3@5J D:K6 2D 2 C6DF=E @7 C646?E 962GJ 9F?E:?8 AC6DDFC6 2?5 E96J 2C6 ?@E =:G:?8 2D =@?8 2D E96J 5:5 :? 564256D A2DE]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm“%9:D F?56C=:?6D E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 9:DE@C:42= >FD6F> >2E6C:2= :? 96=A:?8 D4:6?E:DED E@ F?56CDE2?5 492?86 E9C@F89 E:>6]”k^Am
Emily Cornelius Ruhs with Madagascar flying fox specimens in the Field Museum's collections. (Field Museum via SWNS)
By Talker
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmv@@5>2? G:D:E65 E96 4@==64E:@?D @7 ?:?6 ?2EFC2= 9:DE@CJ >FD6F>D 24C@DD E96 &]$] 2?5 tFC@A6[ H96C6 96 6I2>:?65 `a` |25282D42C 7=J:?8 7@I DA64:>6?D E92E H6C6 4@==64E65 @G6C E96 4@FCD6 @7 E96 A2DE `d_ J62CD]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw6 E@@< >62DFC6>6?ED @7 E96 32ED’ D<F==D 2?5 E66E9[ 2?5 E96? #F9D A6C7@C>65 DE2E:DE:42= 2?2=JD:D @7 E96 52E2 E@ =@@< 7@C @G6C2== EC6?5D :? D:K6]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm$96 D2:5i “(6 E@@< 2== E9@D6 >62DFC6>6?ED 2?5 AFE E96> E@86E96C[ 2?5 H6 =@@<65 2E 9@H E96J 492?865 @G6C E:>6]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm“(6 D2H 2 4=62C 5C@A :? D:K6 DE2CE:?8 2C@F?5 `hg_[ H96? H6 36=:6G6 32E 9F?E:?8 3642>6 >@C6 4@>>6C4:2=:K65]”k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 492?86 H2D D@ 5C2DE:4 E92E 2E 7:CDE[ #F9D 36=:6G65 :E >FDE 92G6 366? 2 >:DE2<6]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm$96 D2:5i “x E9@F89E E92E E96C6 >FDE 36 D@>6E9:?8 HC@?8 H:E9 E96 2?2=JD:D[ E96C6 H2D ?@ H2J E92E E96 C@F89 6DE:>2E6 H6 925 H2D 4@CC64E[ 3FE :E H2D]”k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm#F9D ?@E65 E92E H9:=6 E96 DEF5J 6DE23=:D96D 2 4@CC6=2E:@? 36EH66? E96 32ED D9C:?<:?8 2?5 E96 4@>>6C4:2=:K2E:@? @7 9F?E:?8[ E96 AC@;64E D@ 72C 5@6D ?@E 6IA=:4:E=J D9@H E92E E96 4@>>6C4:2=:K65 9F?E:?8 42FD65 E96 32ED E@ D9C:?<]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw@H6G6C[ D96 DFDA64ED E92E :E’D ?@ 4@:?4:56?46 E92E E96 3:886DE 32ED H6C6 E96 @?6D E92E H6C6 5:D2AA62C:?8]k^Am
A flying fox fruit bat in Madagascar. (Angelo Andrianiaina via SWNS)
By Talker
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm#F9D D2:5i “x7 J@F’C6 E96 3:886DE 32E :? E96 D<J[ J@F >:89E 36 E96 62D:6DE E2C86E]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm“*@F’C6 2=D@ 8@:?8 E@ AC@G:56 2 9F?E6C H:E9 E96 >@DE >62E]”k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm|2?J @7 E96 =2C86DE 7=J:?8 7@I6D :56?E:7:65 :? E9:D DEF5J H6C6 2=D@ @=56C :?5:G:5F2=D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmx7 3:886C[ >@C6 >2EFC6 32ED @7 3C665:?8 286 2C6 36:?8 E2C86E65 3J 9F?E6CD[ E96 C6D62C496CD 762C E92E 4@F=5 27764E 7=J:?8 7@I A@AF=2E:@?D @G6C2==]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw@H6G6C[ E96 E62 D2J =2C86C 32ED 36:?8 E2C86E65 3J 9F?E6CD >:89E ?@E 36 E96 @?=J 724E@C :? E96 EC6?5 E@H2C5 D>2==6C 32ED]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm#F9D D2:5i “%9:?8D =:<6 567@C6DE2E:@?[ 4=:>2E6 492?86[ :?256BF2E6 @C D9:7E:?8 E:>:?8 @7 E96 7CF:E D62D@? 4@F=5 2== 36 A=2J:?8 2 C@=6 :? >2<:?8 7=J:?8 7@I6D D>2==6C E92? E96J H6C6 c_[ d_ J62CD 28@]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm“x 5@?’E E9:?< E96C6’D 2?J @?6 42FD6 E92E 6IA=2:?D :E 2==]”k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmqFE E96 DEF5J’D 7:?5:?8D DF886DE E92E |25282D42C’D 7=J:?8 7@I A@AF=2E:@?D 2C6 D9C:?<:?8 :? D:K6 =2C86=J 5F6 E@ 9F>2?\5C:G6? AC6DDFC6]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm#F9D D2:5i “%96D6 32ED 2C6 2? :>A@CE2?E 7@@5 D@FC46 :? 46CE2:? A@CE:@?D @7 E96 :D=2?5 7@C A6@A=6 E@ 7665 E96:C 72>:=:6D @C @? E96 >6?F :? D@>6 C@25D:56 C6DE2FC2?ED[ D@ :E :D 4C:E:42= E@ 7:8FC6 @FE H2JD E@ AC@E64E E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ad^`_^`f^32E\3@I6D\A@E6?E:2=\562E9\EC2AD\7@C\H:?865\>2>>2=D\5FC:?8\962EH2G6D^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQm32E A@AF=2E:@?Dk^2m]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm“%9:D ?665D E@ :?G@=G6 9:896C =6G6=D @7 AC@E64E:@? 7@==@H:?8 ?6H ?2E:@?2= =2HD[ A2CE:4F=2C=J 2E 3C665:?8 D:E6D[ D@ E92E E96 A@AF=2E:@?D 5@?’E 4@==2AD6]”k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm$96 D2:5 E96 DEF5J 2=D@ 9:89=:89ED E96 G2=F6 @7 >FD6F> 4@==64E:@?D[ 255:?8i “(6 42? DE:== 86E 2 =@E @7 :?7@C>2E:@? 7C@> E96D6 32E DA64:>6?D E92E H6C6 4@==64E65 :? E96 `g__D]”k^Am
