Bats - Disney Animals

You can find one of the world’s largest bat species—with wingspans up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) in length—at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park! Large flying foxes, also known as Malayan flying foxes, are bats native to Asia and named for their distinctive vulpine facial features, which include a long snout, oval ears, round eyes and reddish black fur.

Unlike other bats that rely on echolocation, these amazing animals use their excellent eyesight and advanced sense of smell to track down their dinner. Their fondness for fruit enriches their surrounding environment, as they disperse the seeds they don’t consume across the forest floor, encouraging new plant growth.

After foraging, they return to large colonies (sometimes with over 250,000 other bats) and sleep upside-down hanging from branches or high perches. Their unusual sleeping position is due to the fragile bones in their hindlegs, which are unable to support their full body weight in an upright position.

Be on the lookout for these furry flyers when you visit Maharajah Jungle Trek at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park.

Here’s a look inside the life of a bat at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park:

• This Branch Is Just Right: With a flourishing tree canopy, cozy caves and lots of ropes for climbing, this habitat encourages bats to forage while giving them plenty of roosting space for their much-deserved naps.

• Enriching Experiences: By hanging fruity favorites from vines and branches, animal care experts foster the bats’ natural curiosity and encourage them to climb, crawl and explore.

• A Fruit-Lover’s Paradise: Large flying foxes consume half their body weight each day. At Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, these fruit bats enjoy a rainbow of tasty treats and vitamin-rich munchies—from sweet bananas, pineapples and figs to crunchy cucumbers, carrots, papayas and more!

Around the world, bats are often perceived as evil omens or symbols of bad luck, a misconception which distorts their true nature and minimizes the vital work they do within their habitats. Malayan flying foxes are no exception, and in Asia they are often considered unwelcome pests on farms and in orchards.

The Walt Disney Company is committed to saving wildlife and protecting the magic of nature together as a global community. The Disney Conservation Fund* supports nonprofit organizations working with communities around the world to improve the perception of bats in natural habitats as well as in urban spaces.