Aldabra flying fox
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Genus
SPECIES
Pteropus aldabrensis

The Aldabra flying fox (Pteropus aldabrensis ) is a species of megabat in the genus Pteropus. It is endemic to the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, like Chaerephon pusilla, though the latter may be the same species as the little free-tailed bat.

Distribution

Geography

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Biogeographical realms

The natural habitats of the Aldabra flying fox are subtropical or tropical mangrove forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.

Aldabra flying fox habitat map
Aldabra flying fox habitat map
Aldabra flying fox
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Habits and Lifestyle

Like other megabats, commonly known as fruit bats, the Aldabra flying fox is herbivorous. It has been observed eating fruit from the evergreens Calophyllum inophyllum and Mystroxylon aethiopicum, the Indian almond, and fig trees such as the giant-leaved fig, Ficus rubra, and Ficus reflexa. The bat also eats flowers from the coconut tree and sisal plant and the leaves of the grey mangrove tree. It has been observed licking honeydew produced by scale insects infesting fig trees; rats exhibit the same behavior.

Seasonal behavior

Population

Conservation

The species is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN due to a restricted habitat, threats from natural disasters such as tropical cyclones, and rising sea level due to climate change. The biologist A.M. Hutson has described the Aldabra flying fox as "one of the rarest bats in the world" based on a 1968 estimate of a 250-bat total population.

References

1. Aldabra flying fox Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldabra_flying_fox
2. Aldabra flying fox on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18714/22079192

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