Samoa flying fox a luxury food item, but a stop was put to that trade when it was listed in Appendix I of CITES in 1990. This made it illegal to export it, and hunting since then has been on a smaller scale and only for domestic use. It is present in some national parks and other protected areas which gives it some measure of protection. The Samoan word for the flying fox fruit bat, "pe'a", is also the name of the traditional Samoan male tattoo. In Samoan and Polynesian mythologies, stories, myths, proverbs, and legends are associated with this winged creature. One
Rennell flying fox 1962, Hill published that he considered Rennell's flying fox as a subspecies of the Solomons flying fox, with a trinomen of "Pteropus rayneri rennelli". The forearm of the holotype was long. The fur of its back is uniformly brownish, with the fur of its neck and face lighter. Females give birth to one offspring per litter, with the young called a "pup." Its lifespan is estimated at 8–9 years. It is nocturnal, roosting in sheltered places such as trees during the day. Individuals roost by themselves. It is only known from Rennell Island, which is part of the Solomon Islands.