Unlike other nocturnal bats, Livingstone’s flying foxes are capable of soaring on air thermals and glide, rather than fly directly.
Unlike other nocturnal bats, Livingstone’s flying foxes are capable of soaring on air thermals.
Because they have very slow wing beats and a relatively slow, flapping flight, Livingstone’s flying foxes often glide and circle in an attempt to gain height, rather than fly directly. They use updrafts of warm air to help extend their gliding distance.
Their wings have a wingspan of up to 1.5 meters (4 feet, 7 inches), an aspect ratio of 6.52, and a wing loading of 25.8 N/m2, and have been estimated to have a turning circle of 11.3 meters (37 feet).
• Image | © M Jean Marie PARIS, All Rights Reserved
• Sources | (Dewey & Long, 2007; Hutchins, Kleiman, & Geist, 2003; Wikipedia, 2018)
