Gambian epauletted fruit bat
A species of Epomophorus Scientific name : Epomophorus gambianus Genus : Epomophorus
Gambian epauletted fruit bat, A species of Epomophorus
Botanical name: Epomophorus gambianus
Genus: Epomophorus
Content
Description People often ask General Info
Photo By oebenin , used under CC-BY-NC-4.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
The gambian epauletted fruit bat is a species of megabat that travels in large packs. They spend their nights eating (mostly mangoes) and resting in the trees. If one is shot down, the others swoop around showing grave concern as they appear to inspect the victim, which to some scientists implies affinity, even sympathy.
Size
13 - 25 cm
Colors
Brown
Gray
White
Life Expectancy
21-28 years
Nest Placement
Tree
Feeding Habits
Gambian epauletted fruit bat primarily consumes figs, bananas, mangoes, guavas, and Parkia biglobosa nectar. They forage for hours due to the low nutritional value of figs, their main food, to sustain their energy-intensive flying and offspring nourishment. Gambian epauletted fruit bat carry their young in flight until they can fly.
Habitat
Fruit bats are tropical animals, but some species live in areas with only a limited fruiting season, as in east Africa where the Gambian epauletted fruit bat might feed on figs during the rainy season but in the semi-arid conditions of the rest of the year may have to fly several hundred miles to find a different climate where other trees are still in fruit. The epauletted fruit bat's geographic range is from southern Zaire and Tanzania to eastern South Africa, and southern Sudan and Ethiopia to Senegal and southern Mali (Wilson). They are typically a lowland species occurring below 500 meters above sea level, however the Ethiopian populations have been found to occur up to 2,000 meters above sea level. It is native to the countries of Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. As a fairly adaptable species to many types of environments, they can be found in a variety of habitats ranging from the dry savanna, moist savanna, mosaic, bushland, tropical dry forests, and subtropical dry forests habitats. They have also been reported to inhabit areas of partially degraded forest, mangrove, and swamp forest habitats. This species of bats prefer to live on the edge of forests and they tend to roost in places ranging from thick foliage, accumulated roots along stream banks, below the thatch of open sheds, and large tree hollows. (Fenton) The species also tend to roost in small groups or as individuals. They can also roost low in trees during the day, undisturbed by the presence of people and even within areas that receive considerable light. These bats have been known to have a presence in agricultural areas with orchards of bananas, figs, mangoes, guavas, and other fruits. They have made the move to human areas due to encroachment by humans into their natural habitats. 
Dite type
Frugivorous
People often ask
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Fruit
Behavior
The Gambian epauletted fruit bats are frugivorous and will appear wherever fig, mango, guava or banana trees are in fruit. The social behavior within fruit-bat camps does not stop at individual family groups. The whole colony is organized, with separate peripheral groups of immatures and non-breeding adults. The epauletted fruit bats travel in small groups of six to twenty bats. When the fruit bats are in flight, they remain together in long processions. The leaders often change, yet they retain the same direction of flight. (Mickleburgh) They frequently sniff at each other's scent glands to establish personal recognition. Which represents high levels of social organization. When one is shot down, they show great concern and gather round swooping low to inspect it; a sign of affinity rather than totally independent behaviour. They roost during the day in mango trees and bamboo reeds or other trees. The Gambian epauletted fruit bats hang upside down alone or in groups up to twenty. The species' droppings support whole ecosystems of unique organisms, including bacteria useful in detoxifying wastes, and producing gasohol. This species feeds on nectar and fruits of many West African trees, presumably acting as pollinator and/or seed disperser. Some flowering trees depend on the bats for pollination. (Fenton) The pack moves during sunset in large flocks from resting areas to feeding areas. To avoid predators, the bats will carry fruit away from the tree before eating. Over several nights bats may carry more than a ton of seeds from a single wild fig tree, dramatically increasing the number of seedlings that will survive in new locations. The fruit bats spend over half their lives roosting in various places. (Wilson) On the outskirts of the camp, non-territorial males act as guards. They are alert to the slightest disturbance. They perform a visual inspection and either give a loud alarm signal, or remain still, keeping an eye open. The Gambian epauletted fruit bats are unlike other bats because they use sight rather than echolocation to find food. They also rely heavily on their smell because they use it to locate food and establish bonds with one another.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Mammals Order
Bats Family
Megabats Genus
Epomophorus Species
Gambian epauletted fruit bat 
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