Straw-coloured fruit bat
A species of Eidolon Scientific name : Eidolon helvum Genus : Eidolon
Straw-coloured fruit bat, A species of Eidolon
Botanical name: Eidolon helvum
Genus: Eidolon
Content
Description People often ask General Info
Photo By Fritz Geller-Grimm , used under CC-BY-SA-2.5 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
Gaining its name from the color of its fur, the straw-coloured fruit bat is a decidedly social bat, tending to roost together in groups from 100,000 all the way up to 1,000,000. The usual activities of this nocturnal bat are actually an important part of many plant life cycles, as this species pollinates and/or disperses the seeds of more than 130 genera of plants.
Size
14 - 23 cm
Life Expectancy
15-22 years
Nest Placement
Tree
Feeding Habits
Straw-coloured fruit bat primarily feeds on a wide variety of fruits such as apples, oranges, bananas, and grapes, as well as nectar. It forages at night, showing a preference for ripe and soft-textured fruits, often indicative of a frugivorous diet.
Habitat
Mainly in Africa, mostly among the sub-Saharan climates, many forest and savanna zones, around the southwestern Arabian peninsula, urban areas, at altitudes up to 2,000 m, tall trees 
Dite type
Frugivorous
People often ask
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Fruit
Behavior
The straw-coloured fruit bat is a highly social species. The bats tend to live in groups of over 100,000 and at times that number may increase to almost one million. At night the bats leave the roost in smaller groups to find food by sight and smell. They have also been seen chewing on soft wood for moisture. These bats can also pollinate flowers and disperse seeds through the forests. They are the main agents of seed dispersal for the increasingly rare and economically significant African teak tree Milicia excelsa. Although they feed at night, straw-coloured fruit bats are not necessarily nocturnal. During the day, they will be found resting and moving among the colony. Year to year, season to season, the bats will return to the same place where they found food the previous year or season. The mating season of straw-coloured fruit bats is from April to June and is not synchronized among the bats. Implantation is delayed until October and is synchronized with all females implanting during this time. The delay corresponds one of two dry periods in the home range of the bats. Birth occurs in February and March.
Distribution Area
The straw-coloured fruit bat' is the most widely distributed fruit bat in Africa, and perhaps the world. It appears mainly in Africa, mostly among the sub-Saharan climates, in many forest and savanna zones, and around the southwestern Arabian peninsula. It can also be found in urban areas and at altitudes up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft). It prefers tall trees for roosting.
Scientific Classification
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