Flying foxes absolutely despise the Sun, and with that in mind, it should come as no surprise to anyone that they look for shade whenever possible. One problem, however, is that their ecosystem tends to get somewhat warm and dry during certain times of the year. Most flying foxes look for shade to evade the Sun, but they often fight with others over even the slightest bit of shelter.
In some cases, even the shade isn’t enough. Flying foxes will die if things get too toasty, and so many will pant and flap their wings in an attempt to cool off. When even that doesn’t do them any good, they’ll take flight and begin dipping their chests in nearby water sources mid-flight to give them something to lick later – a means of hydration until monsoon season kicks up.
Unfortunately, perusing these chest-dipping activities is particularly risky, and not all flying foxes make it out alive. It’s not so much the activity itself that poses the risk as it is the dangers lurking just beneath the surface – hungry freshwater crocodiles.
Crocodiles can slam their jaws shut in mere milliseconds, giving the flying foxes very little time to respond to the danger. In many cases, it’s a matter of which animal sees the other first, and whether the flying fox can get out of the crocodile’s striking zone before the crocodile makes it move.
In some cases, the flying foxes aren’t quick enough, and the crocodiles drag their catch below the surface…