Roosting Indian Flying Fox

Indian Flying Fox (Pteropus medius) roosting during the day time in a large communal roost. Bharatpur Bird sanctuary (Keoladeo National Park) Rajasthan, India.

The Indian flying fox (Pteropus medius), also known as the greater Indian fruit bat, is a species of bat found in the Indian subcontinent. The greater Indian fruit bat is the largest bat species found in India and one of the largest bats in the world. Their wingspan ranges from 1.2-1.5m and they can weigh up to 1.6 kg.

The Indian flying fox is found throughout the Indian Subcontinent, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Tibet, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. They roost communally in large, well established colonies on open branches and in dense foliage of large trees. Roosts are often used by thousands of bats and tend to be used for more than ten years. 

The Greater Indian Fruit Bat is primarily frugivorous and nectarivorous. Typically feeding on fruits such as mangoes and bananas and the nectar of flowers.  Although some bats may briefly leave the roost during daylight, at dusk the colony will leave en-masse to forage for ripe fruit. Although initially thought to be strictly frugivorous, they has been observed eating insects, leaves, flowers, seed pods, bark, cones, and twigs. Their diet changes seasonally with availability and they have a greater reliance on fruits for moisture in the autumn and spring. 

Flying foxes are often regarded as vermin due to their destructive tendencies towards commercial fruit farms. However their pollination and seed dispersion benefits far outweigh the impact of their fruit consumption. They are relied on for seed propagation by more than 300 plant species. Nearly 70% of the seeds found in Indian flying fox waste are from the banyan tree, a keystone species in Indian ecosystems.

Flying Fox populations are constantly under threat by habitat destruction caused by urbanisation and widening of roads. Large well established tree roosts are often felled and colonies dispersed. 

Asian Mammals Gallery

You can find out more about Indian Flying Foxes here.