Facts About the Jamaican Fruit Bat
The Jamaican fruit (or fruit-eating) bat, also known as the Mexican fruit bat, is a member of the family of New World leaf-nosed bats. It is native to Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and the Florida Keys.
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Appearance
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Jamaican fruit bats are generally light brown or gray in color, with silver highlights. Their faces feature four distinct stripes, their ears are very pointed, and they have no external tails.
Size and Life Span
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On average, Jamaican fruit bats will grow to a length of three inches, with a sixteen inch wingspan. Their average maximum weight is 1 to 1.7 ounces and they have a life span of approximately 7 to 10 years.
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Habitat
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Jamaican fruit bats live primarily in rain forests, scrub (dry) forests, and deciduous forests--forests where trees lose their leaves each year. They are also known to reside in caves and in the darkened areas of abandoned buildings.
Diet
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In addition to the juice of fruits with soft internal pulp such as mangoes, avocados, and figs, Jamaican fruit bats also consume pollen, nectar, small insects, and flower parts. In fact, Jamaican fruit bats are responsible for pollinating a great number of flowering plants in the areas where they feed.
Reproduction
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A single male Jamaican fruit bat will assemble a harem of up to 25 females. Two reproduction periods will generally occur each year, with gestation lasting about four months. Each female will produce one offspring; however, she will occasionally have twins.
Unusual Facts
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One characteristic of the Jamaican fruit bat is that it has a pleasant odor often compared to perfumed soap. Additionally, Jamaican fruit bats are considered excellent "tent-makers" and are known to create roosting areas for themselves by biting and shaping leaves into tent-shaped enclosures.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Jan Tik
