Fortunately, humans don’t usually have to deal with creatures of their size. Those that do exist typically live far away from the hustle and bustle of city life. However, farmers may come in contact with animals on a regular basis that are as big as people; including night-dwelling bats as one found in The Philippines whose wingspan was immense – almost matching Batman’s stature!
This spine-chilling image of a “human-size” bat looks like it could be straight out of a horror movie, but luckily the picture is not as frightening in reality. Through creative camera angles and tricks, the photographer managed to make the bat look much larger than its true size – creating an optical illusion that will leave you amazed!
The mesmerizing creature pictured is the giant golden-crowned flying fox, native to the Philippines. Contrary to popular belief, this remarkable mammal is quite prevalent – it spends its nights gliding around and feasting on fruit!
The giant golden-crowned flying fox, a bat native to the Philippines, has an impressive wingspan of 5 feet and 5 inches – nearly as tall as the average female human in the United States. While this megabat is certainly much larger than any species found here at home, its body size averages only 1 foot; clearly not large enough to be considered “human-sized”.
The photo has become an internet sensation due to the creative angle utilized by the photographer. This photoshoot technique, which is often used to make it appear as if someone is holding up buildings or touching distant objects like mountaintops and high-rise structures, allowed viewers to experience a larger-than-life scene!
Unsurprisingly, the tweet has sparked terror in many people’s minds. One person said, “Remember when I told y’all about the Philippines having human-sized bats? Yeah, this was what I was talking about.”
This post has proven wildly popular, racking up more than a quarter of a million likes and thousands of comments.
A Filipino individual provided a sense of comfort, assuring others that the bat is not as intimidating or dangerous as it appears.
“Heya, from the Philippines here. I can confirm this, they have a huuuuuge wingspan, but the bodies are not really that big, more or less like the same body as a medium (a bit smaller) sized dog. And yeah, they only eat fruits, guavas, most particularly. They’re really gentle too.”
How would you respond if a large bat flew right in front of you while outdoors? Would your reaction be to calmly retreat or shriek with fright?
