Fruit Bat Habitat

The fruit bat is much more common than the vampire bat.

One in every four species of mammals is a bat. For this reason, it is difficult to generalize the habitat of the bat. There exists 166 species of fruit bats. These mammals have extended their habitat to all corners of the Earth. Within the fruit bat family, however, there are certain conditions that are more suitable than others regarding habitat.

General Appearance

Simple ears and large eyes are characteristic of fruit bats.

Fruit bats belong to a family of bats known as pteropodidae. Within this family, the males and females look alike, with large eyes and simple ears. They do not require the large ears that are common in other bats, since they do not need to hunt for their main food supply. Instead fruit bats flourish in areas dense in vegetation and small insects.

Common Species

The greater fruit bat has a wingspan of up to five feet.

The most easily recognized species of the fruit bat is the greater fruit bat (Pteropus giganteus). The greater fruit bat has earned this named based on its wingspan of up to five feet. A highly sociable mammal, the greater fruit bat roosts by day in large trees in flocks of several thousand. At night it forages the forests and scrub of South and Southeast Asia.

Classes of Fruit Bats

Fruit bats rely on lush vegitation for nourishment.

All fruit bat species may be divided into New World and Old World categories based on their habitats. All of these bats rely on a diet of fruit, flower nectar and pollen. In areas of dense vegetation the fruit bat's feeding serves to pollinate the flowers. Tropical forests on a variety of continents are their main habitats.

New World Fruit Bats

Bananas are a staple of the diet of New World fruit bats.

New World fruit bats can be found mainly in areas of tropical America. This includes the Caribbean Islands, Mexico and north into California. Depending on the species, these bats may consume up to twice their body weight in fruit in under three hours.

Old World Fruit Bats

Fruit bats are social creatures that search for fruit in flocks.

Old World fruit bats rely mainly on sight for food acquisition. Unlike most other bats, they do not use a system of echolocation. These fruit bats live mainly in tropical forests, where there is a year-round supply of fruit. Their habitat range covers Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and northern Australia.

References

• "International Wildlife Encyclopedia, Book 7"; Maurice Burton; 2002
• "Animals: Mammals, Volume 1"; Philip Whitfield; 1999

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish