2007 November | Pemba Flying Fox

Facts!

Category: Bats | Date: Nov 27 2007 | By: admin

Hello everyone, am sorry I have been away for so long. I got really sick and couldnt do very much but I am now better and can now work. I decided to post a few facts about the Pemba Flying Fox for those who have never really heard of it or seen it.

Also known as Pteropus voeltzkowi
It is a large fruit bat weighing about 400-650g (0.9-1.4lb)
They have a gestation period of 5 months
They birth between August and September
Males are larger with a darker red pigmentation
To fly they dont “jump” they “free-fall”
It is very social and can be found in large colonies hence protecting themselves and it is believed they share information about good foraging sites
It is the only bat species endemic to an African country
They are so called because of their fox-like faces
They cannot use echolation but use vision and normal hearing as opposed to othe insect eating bats that use echolation
In the mid nineties the population was estimated to be about 3,000. In the recent survey we conducted the population is approximately estimated to be about 19,000
The Pemba Flying Fox was listed as Critically endangered by the IUCN Red List in 1992, it is now listed as vulnerable due to the gradual increase of the population as conservation efforts have been intensified over the years.