Aru flying fox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Aru flying fox |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pteropus
|
| Species: |
aruensis
|
 |
|
| Aru flying fox range | |
The Aru flying fox (Pteropus aruensis) is a very rare type of bat that lives on the Aru Islands in Indonesia. It's a large bat, sometimes called a megabat, and it was first described by a scientist named Wilhelm Peters in 1867. This special bat is considered Critically Endangered, which means it's at a very high risk of disappearing forever. Scientists haven't seen one since the late 1800s, making it a bit of a mystery.
Contents
About the Aru Flying Fox Family
Scientists group living things into families to understand how they are related. The Aru flying fox belongs to a large group of bats called Pteropus, which includes many different species.
The Aru flying fox is part of a special group called the livingstonii species group. Other bats in this group include:
- Livingstone's fruit bat (P. livingstonii)
- Black-bearded flying fox (P. melanopogon)
- Kei flying fox (P. keyensis)
Some scientists think the Aru flying fox might just be a type of the black-bearded flying fox. Others believe it is different enough to be its own unique species.
What Does the Aru Flying Fox Look Like?
The Aru flying fox looks quite similar to the black-bearded flying fox. It has a mix of colors on its head and body.
Colors and Features
- The front of its head is a mix of gray, black, and yellowish-white.
- The back of its head is a rusty color.
- Its chin is a deep red.
- Its neck is rust or rust-brown, looking like a chestnut collar.
- Its back is shiny and yellowish-white, with some black hairs.
- Its belly can be black and rusty yellow, or black and rusty brown.
- The upper part of its chest is dark brown to black.
- Its forearms are about 190 to 191 millimeters (about 7.5 inches) long.
Why is the Aru Flying Fox in Danger?
This bat is possibly extinct, meaning it might have completely disappeared from Earth. The last confirmed sighting was in 1877.
High Risk of Extinction
- In 2017, scientists used a special computer model to check the risk of extinction for many mammals. The Aru flying fox was one of five species that the model said was almost certainly extinct.
- The IUCN lists this bat as critically endangered. This means they believe there are likely fewer than 50 of these bats left, if any.
- Scientists from the Western Australia Museum searched for them in the 1990s but could not find any.
- However, a jawbone found in 1992 might belong to this species, giving a tiny bit of hope.
- Because this bat is large and colorful, it is thought that hunting played a role in its decline and possible disappearance.
