Rodrigues fruit bat
Also known as Rodrigues flying fox (Pteropus rodricensis)
About
For centuries, bats have been the subjects of folklore, myths and superstition which has led to much misinformation about this fascinating and diverse group of mammals.
Contrary to popular belief, bats are not blind, all bats have the ability to see through their eyes. The bat order ('order' is a classification term used to classify species, for example humans and monkey's are classified under the 'primate' order) is called Chiroptera which means hand wing. Chiroptera has an estimated 1,400 species making it the second largest mammalian classification order and accounting for up to 20% of mammal species. Chrioptera is split into 2 main groups, the microbats and the megabats.
Microbats are generally small insectivorous bats which rely on echolocation to find their food and navigate in the dark. Rodrigues flying foxes belong to the Megabats group.
The name flying fox comes from their long canine-like faces and this group of bats don't use echolocation, but instead, rely on their incredible eyesight to navigate and find food.
Rodrigues fruit bat facts
Rodrigues fruit bats are also known as Rodrigues flying foxes
Threats
This species is threatened by climate change and severe weather, hunting, or collection. In the 1970's, there were only around 70 individuals of this species left, but after conservation efforts, their population now numbers around 20,000. They are still classed as endangered because of how fragile their habitat is.
Chester Zoo is partnered with the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation to help restore and effectively manage ecosystems, conduct key scientific research, run education programmes, and to change perceptions around this species.
Climate change
Hunting
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