# @science on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DKm3AY_tl_T
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/31945207-science-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/f73715859c.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-06-07T17:03:30.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Science 🧬 (@science) — https://gondola.cc/science

## Caption

🦇 The Malayan Flying Fox represents one of nature's most remarkable engineering achievements, showcasing the extraordinary adaptations that make powered flight possible in mammals. Unlike birds with their rigid feathered wings, bats like Nene possess a wing membrane called the patagium—a stretched skin surface that connects their elongated finger bones to their body and hind limbs. ⁠
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This membrane might appear tough and leathery from a distance, but it's actually incredibly delicate, comparable in thickness and sensitivity to human eyelid skin. This thinness serves a crucial purpose: it allows for maximum flexibility during flight while remaining lightweight enough not to hinder the bat's aerial maneuvers. The visible network of blood vessels and muscle fibers running through the patagium isn't just for show—these structures provide the wing with its strength, elasticity, and ability to heal from small tears that inevitably occur during flight.⁠
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Wing maintenance represents a critical daily ritual for flying foxes because their flight membranes endure constant stress from wind resistance, temperature changes, and occasional contact with branches or other obstacles. The grooming process involves carefully cleaning the wing surface, checking for tears or parasites, and ensuring proper blood circulation through gentle stretching and manipulation. ⁠
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This behavior demonstrates the sophisticated self-care instincts that have evolved alongside flight capability—after all, a damaged wing means the difference between successful foraging and starvation for these fruit-eating giants. Understanding this maintenance routine helps us appreciate why bats spend considerable time each day tending to their wings, much like how we might care for a precision instrument that our survival depends upon.⁠
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🎥 courtesy of: lubeebatconservancy⁠
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#animals #bat #malayanflyingfox #flyingfox #bats #mammal #biology #science

## Stats

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## Tags

animals, bats, science, mammal, malayanflyingfox, bat, biology, flyingfox

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