Pemba flying fox

Description

Gathering in mixed-sex groups of up to 850 individuals to roost,the Pemba flying fox creates quite a spectacle.The bats remain faithful to their roost (often a group of large,mature trees),returning from feeding trips in huge flocks.They feed on mangos,breadfruit,figs,flowers and leaves,and may be the only species on the island that disperses larger seeds,thereby proving essential to those plants that produce them.Unlike insectivorous bats (Microchiroptera),they do not use echolocation,instead using vision to locate fruit.Mating is thought to occur between January and April,with births between June and August.The young are independent within three to six months.