Black-eared flying fox Black-eared flying fox The black-eared flying fox ("Pteropus melanotus"), also known as Blyth's flying fox and Christmas Island flying fox, is a species of bat in the family Pteropodidae. It is found on Christmas Island (Australia), Andaman Islands (India), Nicobar Islands (India), and Sumatra (Indonesia). The population on Christmas Island, which is critically endangered, is considered either a subspecies of "Pteropus melanotus", or a distinct species, "Pteropus natalis." The black-eared flying fox is native to various island groups in the Indo-Pacific. These include the Andaman Islands, the Nicobar Islands, the Mentawai Islands and Christmas Island. It mostly roosts in large
Insular flying fox and plantations. Like most species of bat, this flying fox is nocturnal and roosts in colonies high in the canopy. These bats favor lowland native forests, cliffs, islets, and swampy areas. The females give birth to a single offspring each year although occasionally twins are born. Insular flying foxes are frugivores and eat pollen and nectar. They are important pollinators of "Ceiba pentandra" and perhaps other species. The IUCN rates the insular flying fox as being of "Least Concern" because it has a wide range and presumed large population. It is hunted for food on some islands and it is