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Straw-coloured fruit bat
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Division:	Chordata
Class:	Mamalia
Order:	Chiroptera
Family:	Pteropodidae
Genus:	Eidolon
Species:	E. helvum
Binomial name
Eidolon helvum Kerr, 1792
Straw-coloured Fruit Bat range

The straw-coloured fruit bat (Eidolon helvum) is the most widely distributed of all the African megabats. It is quite common throughout its area ranging from southwestern Arabian Peninsula, forest and savanna zones of Africa (south of the Sahara) and to the offshore island of Madagascar. They have recently been upgraded to Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List due to a decreasing population trend. Straw-coloured fruit bats travel in massive colonies of at least 100,000 and sometimes massing to 1 million. Their necks and backs are a yellowish-brown colour, while their undersides are tawny olive or brownish. This is one of the larger species of fruit bats.

Appearance

The straw-coloured fruit bat got its name from the silky yellowish or straw colour of its exterior. The wings are black, and the back hair is pale and tawny. Males are generally bright orange and females are usually yellowish. The bats have large cheeks, eyes, and ears. The average weight of these bats ranges from 8 to 12 oz (230 to 340 g) and the animals grow to 5.7 to 9 in (14 to 23 cm) in length, with wings spanning up to 30 in (76 cm). Males are generally larger than females. The bat's heart is very large, and its wings are long and tip tapered. The cheeks of the bat are also large and like pouches.

Lifestyle

The straw-coloured fruit bat is a highly social species. The bats tend to live in groups of over 100,000 and at times that number may increase to almost one million. In the nighttime, the colony leaves the roost in smaller groups to find food. They find food by sight and smell and also have been seen chewing on soft wood for the moisture. These bats can also pollinate flowers and disperse seeds through the forests. They are the main agents of seed dispersal for the increasingly rare and economically significant African Teak tree Milicia excelsa.

Although they feed at night, straw-coloured fruit bats are not necessarily nocturnal. During the day, they will be found resting moving along the colony. Year to year, season to season, the bats will be using the same place that they found food the previous year or season.

Diet

The diet of the straw-coloured fruit bats varies depending on whether they are living in captivity or not. Wild bats usually eat bark, flowers, leaves, nectar, and fruits. In captivity, they are fed various mixes, including apples, oranges, bananas, grapes and cantaloupe. In some zoos they are also fed a marmoset diet.

Origin

Eidolon helvum is the most widely distributed fruit bat in Africa, and perhaps the world. It appears mainly in Africa, mostly among the sub-Saharan climates, in many forest and savanna zones, around the southwestern Arabian peninsula, and in Madagascar. The bats can also be found in urban areas. They have been found at a maximum altitude of 2,000 m (6,600 ft). It prefers tall trees for roosts.

Notes

1. Jacksonville Zoo Information on Straw Colored Bats
2. Arkon Zoo Information on Straw Colored Bats
3. Taylor, D. A. R. et al. The role of the fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, in seed dispersal, survival, and germination in Milicia excelsa, a threatened West African hardwood. Northern Arizona University School of Forestry.
4. Oregon Zoo Information on Straw Colored Bats

References

Mickleburgh, S., Hutson, A.M., Bergmans, W., Fahr, J. & Racey, P.A. 2008. Eidolon helvum. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.1. www.iucnredlist.org.

• Misplaced Pages articles needing copy edit from April 2012
• Articles with broken or outdated citations from April 2012
• IUCN Red List near threatened species
• Eidolon
• Mammals of Africa