Fruit bat facts may just surprise you. Did you know that these creatures can actually see in the dark, and are possibly related to the lemur? There are many myths about bats that scare folks from learning anything more. This article goes over factual and interesting information about the fruit bat.
Fruit Bat Food
Fruit bats eat just that: fruit. Favorites include mango, figs, bananas, avocados, plantains, peaches, and durains. They also suck on flowers to drink the nectar. Obviously, they love the taste of sweet foods and usually find these foods in dense forest areas.
Seed dispersal is an important job of a fruit bat. Once they excrete or spit out the fruit's seeds, these grow into new trees or plants throughout the forest. 95% of the regrowth in rainforests is due to fruit bat dispersal, according to BatWorld.Org in an article called, "What You Thought You Knew is Probably Wrong". They also say that this seed dispersal is indirectly responsible for over 80 medicines.
Bat Behavior
Bats are nocturnal. Fruit bats hang upside down, usually on a tree limb with their feet. Although they usually wrap their wings around their bodies, extra hot days require them to use their wings to fan themselves. About eight fruit bats live together at once, usually consisting of one male and the rest female. These are called camps.
Although fruit bats can fly, the aren't able to land well. Instead, they run themselves into tree limbs or try to grab a limb with their feet to stop them as they fly by, states TheWildOnes.Org in an article called, "Fruit Bats". This causes quite a raucous sometimes when one bat disturbs another's peace.
Bat Relations
Most people think bats are flying rodents, in fact, they are more closely related to primates and humans than rodents. Their wings have characteristics of primate hands, which is why scientists lump them into a category called "Chiroptera", meaning hand-wing.
Fruit bats, like other bats and other animals can contract rabies, but this is uncommon. It only occurs in less than one percent. Of course, that doesn't mean you should hold or touch bats because they might try to bite you in self defense. There are, however, many myths about fruit bats that simply aren't true.
TheWildOnes.Org, " Fruit Bats ", accessed January 13, 2011.
BatWorld.com, " What You Thought You Knew is Probably Wrong ", accessed January 13, 2011.
BatRescue.Org, "Amazing Bat Facts", accessed January 13, 2011.
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Kendra Dahlstrom - Kendra has been a freelance writer for over 5 years. Her subjects of choice include personal finance, health, and family. Before working ...
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