Kulgam: An Indian flying fox (Pteropus medius), also known as the greater Indian fruit bat, was captured by Wildlife Department in a village in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Monday afternoon.
The rare mammal is a species of large bats found in the Indian subcontinent.
Sources told KNO that the Indian flying fox was captured by Wildlife Control Room Devsar in Sangas Karwat village of Kulgam on Monday.
A large number of people rushed to the spot and clicked pictures of the mammal.
Wildlife Warden for South Division, Abdul Rouf Zargar, told KNO that they would release the mammal into the orchard after a medical check-up because it was in an injured condition (head injury), adding that it forays into villages to eat fruits.
Wildlife Warden for wetlands, Ifshan Dewan, told the news agency, “We have to dispel myths associated with large flying fox, like they being considered ill omens.”
“Bats are also territorial in nature, so they do not like their space being invaded,” she said, adding that it is nocturnal and mainly eats fruits. (KNO)
