info Announcement 1 of 6:

The following Park Experiences are temporarily suspended due to safe distancing measures:
Elephant Presentation  |  Keepers' Chit Chat 

info Announcement 2 of 6:

The Wet Play Area at KidzWorld is temporarily closed due to safe distancing measures. Pony rides, Falabella grooming and Rabbit petting at Buddy Barn at KidzWorld are temporarily suspended due to safe distancing measures.

info Announcement 3 of 6:

Our shows are operating at limited capacity as part of the necessary Safe Management Measures. We seek your understanding that once full, we will be unable to accept more guests.

info Announcement 4 of 6:

The following exhibit will be closed due to upgrading works:
Frozen Tundra (Until further notice) | White Tiger (10 Mar 21 from 1pm onwards)

info Announcement 5 of 6:

There will be a Bi-Annual Emergency Drill on 8 - 9 Mar 21. The following park experiences will operate from 10.30am onwards:
Rainforest Kidzworld  |  Wild Animal Carousel  |  Tram Services

info Announcement 6 of 6:

You can now book seats for animal shows! Booking portal opens 90 minutes before show time, and can only be accessed onsite. Find out more

  • Wildlife Reserves Singapore
  • Jurong Bird Park
  • Night Safari
  • River Safari
  • Get involved
  • Events and Venues
  • English
    • English
    • 简体中文
  • EN
    • EN
    • 简体中文
    • My memberships
    • Update Profile
    • Change Password
    • Logout
    • My memberships
    • Update Profile
    • Change Password
    • Logout
  • Search
icon

You're now logged out!

Buy tickets
Menu
Close
  • Plan your visit
    • Getting around Singapore Zoo
    • Singapore Zoo map
    • Getting here
    • Tips & Services
  • What's on
  • Animals & Zones
  • Things to do
    • Shows
    • Activities
    • Dine & shop
    • Park ProTips
  • Learning with us
    • Virtual Offerings
    • Resources
    • Mother Tongue Language Resources
    • Programmes & Activities
    • Prepare for your visit
  • Be a member
  • Buy tickets
  • Be a member
  • Plan your visit
    • Getting around Singapore Zoo
    • Singapore Zoo map
    • Getting here
    • Tips & Services
  • What's on
  • Animals & Zones
  • Things to do
    • Shows
    • Activities
    • Dine & shop
    • Park ProTips
  • Learning with us
    • Virtual Offerings
    • Resources
    • Mother Tongue Language Resources
    • Programmes & Activities
    • Prepare for your visit
  • Get involved
  • Events and Venues
Wildlife Reserves Singapore Group
  • bird-park
  • night-safari
  • river-safari
  • singapore-zoo
  • Singapore Zoo
  • Animals & Zones
  • Malayan Flying Fox

Malayan flying fox

Find me in
Fragile Forest
  • Quick Facts
  • Get to Know
  • Protecting Wildlife
  • Visit Us

Quick facts

Lifespan

Lifespan

15 years in the wild

Up to 30 years under human care

Diet

Diet

Pollen, nectar,

Flowers and fruit

Habitat

Habitat

Tropical primary and secondary

Forests and swamps

Range

Range

Across much of

Continental and Southeast Asia.

Share on

The Malayan flying fox

Big But Harmless

Big but harmless

With a wingspan of 1.5-1.7m, these are some of the largest bats in the world. At the Fragile Forest biodome, feel the breeze as they flap past you, sometimes missing you by inches. There’s no cause for alarm - these frugivorous bats mean no harm. They’re just probably in a hurry to get to the feeding platform. Landing on the tips of the branches decked out with juicy fruit by the keepers, they quickly fall into an upside-down position to feed, hanging on by the claws on their toes.
Toeing the line

Toeing the line

Their toe claws provide such a powerful grip they can hang on with one foot while feeding with the other! Slicing the rind with their teeth, they extract the fruit with their long tongue, which is also used to lap up nectar.

The thumb claw is used as a hook to help them move along branches. Males also use it to settle turf wars. Highly territorial by nature, they communicate ownership by spreading their wings, growling, or making hostile noises.
All in a (hot) day’s work

All in a (hot) day’s work

The flying foxes have huge eyes with keen eyesight to locate fruits and flowers at night. They can eat up to half of their body weight in fruit on a daily basis. When sated, they right themselves and do a “free-fall” take off to look for a roosting spot. They also turn the right side up in order to defecate. They rest head down, wings wrapped around their bodies. They do not have sweat glands. On hot days, they cool down by fanning their wings. When that doesn’t work, they seek shade and then lick themselves all over - the evaporation of their saliva helps cool their bodies.

Together, we protect wildlife

For the love of durian

For the love of durian

Flying foxes are threatened by over-hunting and deforestation. They are hunted as exotic meat and also consumed as a traditional cure for asthma. Previously, it was thought that flying foxes eat up the flowers of the durian tree and many orchard owners set up nets to trap them.

Studies using camera traps have confirmed that these bats are probably the most effective pollinators for durian trees.

Pollen sticks to their fur as they feed on the nectar, and is transferred when they move off to feed on the flowers of another tree. If flying foxes were to go extinct one day, so might durians. That alone is reason enough to conserve them.

The IUCN Status

NT

Near Threatened

Likely to become vulnerable in the near future

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is widely recognized as the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species.

DD

Data Deficient

Unknown risk of extinction

LC

Least Concern

At relatively low risk of extinction

NT

Near Threatened

Likely to become vulnerable in the near future

VU

Vulnerable

At high risk of extinction in the wild

EN

Endangered

At very high risk of extinction in the wild

CR

Critically Endangered

At extremely high risk of extinction in the wild

EW

Extinct in the Wild

Survives only in captivity

EX

Extinct

No surviving individuals in the wild or in captivity

Visit us

photo
50¢ from every ticket purchased goes towards wildlife conservation in the region
Singapore Zoo
Buy Now

You might also like

Zebra
Zebra
Cheetah
Cheetah
Giraffe
Giraffe
Animal Friends Show
Animal Friends Show
Wildlife Reserves Singapore Group
  • Jurong Bird Park
  • Night Safari
  • River Safari
  • Singapore Zoo

Need help?

  • Contact us
  • FAQ
  • Temporary closures

About us

  • About Singapore Zoo
  • About Wildlife Reserves Singapore
  • Our policies

Events and Venues

  • Plan an event
  • View venues

Get involved

  • Partner with us

Careers

  • We're hiring!

Press

  • Press room

Opening hours

8.30am - 6.00pm (Last entry at 5.00pm)

We're open every day of the year.

Address

80 Mandai Lake Road Singapore 729826

Follow us

© Copyright 2020, Wildlife Reserves Singapore Group. All rights reserved.

Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari, River Safari, Singapore Zoo and Wildlife Reserves Singapore are trademarks or registered trademarks of WRS Group in Singapore and/or other countries.
  • Terms & conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Data protection policy