Egyptian flying dog about 17 cm long. The coat is brown in color, with the belly colored lighter.
The distribution area extends from Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula to the south of Turkey and Cyprus.
Animals live in large colonies, active at night. They feed on fruits, while most of their diets are immature fruits damaged by insects or mushrooms. In search of food, animals fly up to 40 km per night. Favorite food is figs , then oranges , dates , bananas and young carob leaves.
The breeding season lasts in nature from June to September. Puberty occurs at the age of 9 months. The gestation period lasts approximately 115-120 days. The female, as a rule, gives birth to one cub per year, but sometimes twins are also born. For about six weeks, the female wears the cub on itself, not letting go of it. She later leaves him hanging alone on rocky ledges, but continues to feed.
In 2005, Eric Leroy of the Franceville International Center for Medical Research ( CIRMF ) discovered in Gabon that Egyptian flying dogs are natural carriers of the Ebola virus [2] . In 2007, it was found that Egyptian flying dogs are also natural carriers of the Marburg virus [3] . Researchers found that in both cases, the animals came from caves in Gabon and the Republic of Congo .
