Malagasy flying foxes appear to be shrinking

Science News reports that Malagasy flying foxes collected before the 1980s had skulls averaging 3.6 millimeters longer than those collected afterward — about 6 percent longer. The timing coincides with the rise of commercial hunting, and researchers say larger bats may have been selectively targeted. Climate change and habitat loss are other possible causes. The species’ population is estimated to have fallen by two-thirds since the early 2000s.