Flying foxes are native to both Australia and parts of Asia. They got their name because of their fox-like faces and large, triangular ears, but unlike their namesakes, these bats are vegetarians and eat only plants, mostly fruit, nectar and pollen. All of the different species of flying foxes are quite large, typically weighing more than 2 pounds and with a wingspan of up to 6 feet.
Life Span
Information is limited on how long flying foxes can live in the wild, but the average is about four years. Predators and natural disasters both contribute to their short life span. In captivity this animal lives much longer, often as much as 17 years. The oldest known flying fox was a grey-headed flying fox that lived its entire life in captivity and died in 2000 at the age of 22.
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Photo Credits
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David De Lossy/Valueline/Getty Images
