Flying foxes

I do not know where and how we arrived at this name. They are neither foxes nor do they fly long distances. They do fly however for short distances from one tree to another and always after dusk and in the dark. It’s usually more a jump than a flight. They are actually large bats. One hardly hears them or sees them as they are nocturnal creatures but their presence is clear when you look at the fruit trees in the compound. 

I have  fruiting ‘rambutan’ and ‘mata kuching’ trees. At least I am able to eat rambutans as they have a layer of hairy skin  that hides the fruits and is not  vulnerable to attacks from flying foxes. But the mata kuching has tender skin and are easy favourites for these creatures.

These flying foxes have large bodies and wings that can span more than a metre. They fly in the dark and often end up dead when they crash into live electric wires that are wired from pole to pole that transmit electricity to light up street lights. When I was young I used to bring these creatures down using a bamboo pole. Some of us were unaware of the dangers that lurk while using a bamboo pole. The pole has to be virtually dry as a wet pole can conduct electricity with fatal consequences for the one using the pole to prise the dead lying fox from a live electric wire. 

The meat of the flying fox is tasty indeed if it is well cooked with spices. I used to relish the meat when my mum cooked the meat with spices and made a curry out of it. I was adept at cleaning these creatures and getting ready for the cooking pot. I was called upon to assist in the cleaning process.  Present day housewives may not be that adventurous enough to experiment with this exotic dish. In any case I do not see these flying foxes anymore in city areas. Perhaps they have made way for urban dwellers and moved into their natural habitat in the forests.     

All contents (c) Ganapathy Ramasamy, mynameisgana@blogspot.com

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