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ScienceQuiet 12d · day 13

Madagascar's flying foxes shrinking over 150 years, study links decline to commercial hunting

Museum specimens reveal 6% skull size reduction in giant bats since the 1980s as hunting pressure increased.

newest coverage 11d agosummary written 11d ago7 pieces NewswiresGoogle NewsMastodon

What to know

  • Madagascar's flying foxes have shrunk significantly over 150 years, with skulls 6% smaller since the 1980s, according to analysis of 121 museum specimens.
  • The size decline correlates with the commercialization of large-scale bat hunting, suggesting selective targeting of larger individuals.
  • Researchers fear that if breeding-age, larger bats continue to be preferentially hunted, flying fox populations could face long-term reproductive impacts.
  • The study establishes correlation between hunting intensity and body size reduction but does not explicitly prove causation.

“Hence, the idea was formed that they have diminished in body size as a result of recent heavy hunting pressure and they are not living as long as they did in decades past.”

Dr. Steve Goodman, Field Museum biologist · NY Post ↗

Dr. Emily Ruhs Study lead author, Field Museum researcherDr. Steve Goodman Field Museum full-time biologist, Madagascar expertField Museum (Chicago) Research institution

Madagascar's flying foxes shrinking over 150 years, study links decline to commercial hunting
NY Post

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

Peak 4 pieces in 3h at Oct 29, 9 AM; 7 pieces over 13 days (6 articles · 1 post) Oct 29, 9 AM — 4 pieces · 4 articles — Newswires 2, Google News 2Oct 29, 12 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Oct 29, 3 PM — quietOct 29, 6 PM — quietOct 29, 9 PM — quietOct 30, 12 AM — quietOct 30, 3 AM — quietOct 30, 6 AM — quietOct 30, 9 AM — quietOct 30, 12 PM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 post — Mastodon 1, Newswires 1Oct 30, 3 PM — quietOct 30, 6 PM — quietOct 30, 9 PM — quietOct 31, 12 AM — quietOct 31, 3 AM — quietOct 31, 6 AM — quietOct 31, 9 AM — quietOct 31, 12 PM — quietOct 31, 3 PM — quietOct 31, 6 PM — quietOct 31, 9 PM — quietNov 1, 12 AM — quietNov 1, 2 AM — quietNov 1, 5 AM — quietNov 1, 8 AM — quietNov 1, 11 AM — quietNov 1, 2 PM — quietNov 1, 5 PM — quietNov 1, 8 PM — quietNov 1, 11 PM — quietNov 2, 2 AM — quietNov 2, 5 AM — quietNov 2, 8 AM — quietNov 2, 11 AM — quietNov 2, 2 PM — quietNov 2, 5 PM — quietNov 2, 8 PM — quietNov 2, 11 PM — quietNov 3, 2 AM — quietNov 3, 5 AM — quietNov 3, 8 AM — quietNov 3, 11 AM — quietNov 3, 2 PM — quietNov 3, 5 PM — quietNov 3, 8 PM — quietNov 3, 11 PM — quietNov 4, 2 AM — quietNov 4, 5 AM — quietNov 4, 8 AM — quietNov 4, 11 AM — quietNov 4, 2 PM — quietNov 4, 5 PM — quietNov 4, 8 PM — quietNov 4, 11 PM — quietNov 5, 2 AM — quietNov 5, 5 AM — quietNov 5, 8 AM — quietNov 5, 11 AM — quietNov 5, 2 PM — quietNov 5, 5 PM — quietNov 5, 8 PM — quietNov 5, 11 PM — quietNov 6, 2 AM — quietNov 6, 5 AM — quietNov 6, 8 AM — quietNov 6, 11 AM — quietNov 6, 2 PM — quietNov 6, 5 PM — quietNov 6, 8 PM — quietNov 6, 11 PM — quietNov 7, 2 AM — quietNov 7, 5 AM — quietNov 7, 8 AM — quietNov 7, 11 AM — quietNov 7, 2 PM — quietNov 7, 5 PM — quietNov 7, 8 PM — quietNov 7, 11 PM — quietNov 8, 2 AM — quietNov 8, 5 AM — quietNov 8, 8 AM — quietNov 8, 11 AM — quietNov 8, 2 PM — quietNov 8, 5 PM — quietNov 8, 8 PM — quietNov 8, 11 PM — quietNov 9, 2 AM — quietNov 9, 5 AM — quietNov 9, 8 AM — quietNov 9, 11 AM — quietNov 9, 2 PM — quietNov 9, 5 PM — quietNov 9, 8 PM — quietNov 9, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 2 AM — quiet ◂ 1 earlier2
Oct 30Oct 31Nov 1Nov 2Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6Nov 7Nov 8Nov 9now · 5:42 AM ET
  1. 2

    Journal of Mammalogy publishes findings on flying fox shrinkage

    The peer-reviewed study is published, documenting the correlation between commercialized hunting and declining bat body size, though researchers note the study establishes correlation rather than direct causation.

    “We saw a clear drop in size starting around 1980, when we believe bat hunting became more commercialized.”
    — Dr. Emily Ruhs, Study lead author · source
  2. 1

    Researchers suspect selective hunting of larger bats drives size reduction

    The study proposes that the biggest flying foxes, being most visible in the sky, are preferentially targeted by hunters. Since many of the largest bats identified were older individuals of breeding age, researchers worry the trend could impact overall flying fox populations.

    “If you're the biggest bat in the sky, you might be the easiest target.”
    — Dr. Emily Ruhs
    1. 1 outlet The world’s largest bats are shrinking — and hunters are to blame: study

      first by NY Post, 12d ago

  3. background

    Study identifies 6% skull size decline starting around 1980 — Researchers examined 121 Madagascar flying fox specimens from nine natural history museums across the US and Europe, measuring skulls and teeth over a 150-year span. Statistical analysis revealed a clear size drop beginning around 1980, coinciding with the commercialization of bat hunting.

  4. background

    Research team discovers Madagascar flying foxes have shrunk over 150 years — Scientists from Chicago's Field Museum noticed that flying fox specimens preserved in museum collections appeared larger than the same species encountered during recent fieldwork in Madagascar, prompting investigation into why modern bats were smaller than those collected decades earlier.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 3 outlets Some of the world’s biggest bats are getting smaller

    first by Science News, 12d ago · also TPI Media Group, Google News · Science

    2 more headlines

and 2 smaller pieces