Madagascan flying fox Madagascan flying fox The Madagascan flying fox, Madagascar flying-fox, or Madagascar fruit bat ("Pteropus rufus") is a species of megabat in the genus "Pteropus". It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. It eats figs and other fruits, flowers, and leaves. This is the largest bat in Madagascar, with a body length of 23.5–27 cm (9.1–10.5 in), a wingspan of 100–125 cm (39–49 in), and a body weight of 500–750 g (1.1-1.65 lb). The Madagascan flying fox roosts during the day in large trees in colonies of
Pemba flying fox remaining. Conservation measures implemented by the Forestry Department on Pemba include an education campaign, the establishment of wildlife clubs to protect nearby roosts, and continuous monitoring of the population. Also, the hunting of these bats with shotguns is now banned on most of the island. The local population has been involved in conservation measures and bat-based ecotourism is producing extra revenue for the island. With these measures in place, the number of bats has increased and by 2007 there were estimated to be about 20,000. Pemba flying fox The Pemba flying fox ("Pteropus voeltzkowi") is a species of flying fox