Native to equatorial Africa, he feeds on fruit and uses his head shape to sing to females. It doesn’t deserve the ugly fame it’s acquired.
A while ago, social networks exploded when a photograph of the mythical “chupacabra” was released. The image showed a bat-shaped animal, but one that was much larger and with an even scarier face. It wasn’t like anything anyone had ever seen before. Despite the conspiracies, it was just a hammer-headed bat, the eccentric protagonist of today’s article.
This bat species inhabits equatorial Africa and feeds on fruits (not on living or human beings, as some thought). For this reason, they’re considered a plague. Males use their heads to sing and seduce females, not for the reasons that have generated their bad reputation.
They’re one of the more than 1,000 species of bats that society fears so much.
This strange friend’s scientific name is Hypsignathus monstrosus, which references its “monstrous appearance.” They’re rather mild-mannered but spark rejection, especially because of the diseases they carry.
They’re said to host the Ebola virus asymptomatically, in addition to rabies and others that are dangerous to people.
It’s relatively normal to see them in the African jungle, hanging among the trees with several other friends, usually in groups no bigger than 5.
It can be up to a meter tall, without counting the length it reaches with its outstretched wings. It has big eyes and lips, but small ears.
This species is not on the list of threatened species yet and is classified as “least-concern”.
However, as Bats magazine points out in its 34th volume from winter 2015, continuous deforestation, climate change and hunting are decimating their population.
They’re relatively unknown by most people, which has led to their comparison to the “chupacabra”.
Fortunately, a large part of its specimens live in parks and protected areas in Africa, where they are safe and happy. We hope this will be the case for a long time to come.