Diet: Fruits
Range: Philippines
Conservation Status: Endangered

First Monday of the new year is always a drag, so let’s go big, really big, 5 foot 6-inch wingspan big. The giant golden-crowned flying fox is accepted as the largest bat species in the world and therefore the largest true flying mammal on the planet. With a wingspan the size of an adult, A.Jubatus flys up to 20 miles a day in search of fresh figs to eat. It then spreads those seeds throughout the Philippines.

Despite being passive to humans, A.Jubatus, like other mammals such as rodents, has a troubled reputation as a vector for harmful diseases. Despite this history, another predominate cause of their endangered status is bush meat hunting. Colonies once numbered 150,000 individuals, each one providing 2 pounds of meat and fur. Combined with the destruction of pristine forest utilized for habitat these difficulties have landed A.jubatus in the endangered category