Orphaned baby bat enjoys a cuddle (video)

The flying fox is the world's largest species of bat. That may sound slightly creepy but just wait until you see this little guy.

He's an orphan, so Denise does her best to replicate the loving care of his absent mother. This involves regular milk feeds, baths and cuddles, which he seems to be okay with.

Also know as fruit bats, flying foxes feed mainly on nectar and blossom while living in the wild.

See also: Rescue centre gets cute orphaned baby bats out of a flap

The largest of the species can have a wingspan of around 1.5 metres, while they weigh as much as 1.6 kg. It's not clear how big this little one will get but there is a huge range in size with some of the smaller bats only growing to weigh 600g.

A study earlier this year revealed that bats obey an 'airway code' while flying through the air. The sonar-based system ensures that the creatures of the night don't crash into each other while spinning and spirally through the air.

Lead scientist Dr Marc Holderied said: "The bats seem to have adopted a simple trick: once another individual is close enough for your biosonar to pick up its echo, copy this individual's flight direction within four to five of your own wingbeats."

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