On a recent expedition in Gujarat, India, photographer Hardik Shelat captured a rare phenomenon along a river in sweltering heat. With temperatures topping 110 degrees Fahrenheit, he and his colleagues weren’t the only ones staying hydrated to try to keep cool.
“It was a summer afternoon, and we were on a day trip to click these amazing creatures, the fruit bat,” Shelat recently told PetaPixel. “We waited almost two-and-a-half hours with nothing to see in the intense heat.” Eventually, the wait proved worthwhile, as the normally nocturnal creatures emerged from the trees to cool themselves and drink some water.
The Indian flying fox, or giant fruit bat, gets its name from its long, canid-like snout and incredible size, with a wingspan of nearly four feet. Gathering in trees, where they live in large colonies, the animals nourish themselves with fruits, nectar, seeds, and insects, using sight and smell to find food rather than echolocation like many other bat species.
Explore more incredible wildlife images by Shelat, who has worked with the BBC, National Geographic, WWF, Discovery, and more, on Instagram.
