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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. Even though these bats appear in large numbers, they have recently been upgraded to Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List due to a decreasing population trend. They travel in massive colonies of at least 100,000 and sometimes massing to 1 million. Their neck and back are a yellowish-brown colour, while their underside is tawny olive or brownish. This is one of the larger species of fruit bats.
Appearance
The Straw-coloured Fruit Bat got their name from the silky yellowish or straw colour of their exterior, the colour of the wings are black, and the back hair is pale and somewhat tawny. Males are generally bright orange, compared to the females which are usually silky yellowish. They have huge cheeks, eyes, and ears. The average weight of these bats is ranged from eight to twelve ounces and the animals grow to 5.7 to 9 inches in length, with wings spanning up to 30 inches; males are generally larger than females. Further details goes into the anatomy of the bat. The bats heart is very large, and its wings are long and tip tapered. The cheeks of the bat are also large like little pouches.
Taxonomy
The taxonomy of E. hevlum (Straw-coloured Fruit Bat) are megabats from the family Pteropodidae in the order of Chiroptera.
Lifestyle
The Straw-coloured Fruit Bat is a highly social species. They 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 any food which is in forests near to their environment or any plantations that also may be near.
They find food by sight and smell and also have been seen chewing on soft wood for the moisture. These bats can also pollinate and disperse seeds among the forests, and although they feed at night, it does not mean that they are 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.
These animals live in large colonies and they are ecologically important pollinators and seed dispersers.
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 bat mixes, apples, oranges, bananas, grapes and cantaloupe. In some zoos they are also fed a marmoset diet and vegetables.
This bat is the main agent of seed dispersal for the rare African tree Milicia excelsa.
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, and in many forest and savanna zones, around the southwestern Arabian peninsula, and also found in Madagascar. Specifically the bats are mainly found in tropical forests, but also found in urban areas where human activity does not seem to disturb it. The savannas is also another key area where the fruit bat is also found. It has been found at a max altitude of 6,562 ft (2,000 m). It prefers tall trees for roosts. And country wise, it is found mainly around south of Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique is used usually for migration purposes.
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..
Footnotes
- Jacksonville Zoo Information on Straw Colored Bats
- Arkon Zoo Information on Straw Colored Bats
- Oregon Zoo Information on Straw Colored Bats
- 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.
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
- www.iucnredlist.org