Why is this animal unusual?
It bites through the veins along the middle of a big leaf until the sides flop down to form an upside-down V. A small group of bats then huddles underneath, protected from rain and predators.
Why does it look like that?
Snow-white fur with a bright yellow-orange nose and ears. When sunlight shines through the green leaf above, their white fur takes on a greenish glow and they practically vanish.
Strangest biological feature
That yellow colour. It comes from pigments in the figs they eat, which the bat stores in its skin – a trick almost unheard of in mammals. Scientists study it for clues about human eye diseases.
Why is it strange?
It’s one of the pickiest eaters around, relying heavily on a single species of fig tree.
Interesting behavioral facts
A tent usually houses one male and several females, pressed together in a neat fluffy row.
Records held
One of only a handful of white bats in the world.
