We have a group of 19 Egyptian Fruit Bats that can often be seen hanging in one of the corners of their enclosure. If you are lucky you may get to see them flying around and feasting on their fruit. Make sure to listen carefully when at their enclosure as you may get to hear them squeak as they squabble for the best hanging spot.

The Egyptian fruit bat is found across sub-Saharan Africa across the Middle east and into N. India and Pakistan where it inhabits tropical rainforests, tropical deciduous forest, dry scrub forest and savanna. They do however prefer forest habitats with ample fruit production near the caves which they use as roosts.

The species has a wide Old World range from the Cape in South Africa to Turkey, east to Pakistan, and from Egypt to Senegal. Its range includes Cyprus, Yemen, and Israel. This bat feeds mainly on fruit, but also consumes leaves and pollen.

These bats breed twice yearly. Colonies will synchronize births, so all pups are born at the same time. Gestation is about four months most pups can fly by the time they are three months old. They become independent at nine months and reach maturity at around 15 months.

Fumigating and closing caves not only destroyed Fruit bats by direct poisoning, but the entire cave ecosystems, including highly beneficial and protected insectivorous species. Egyptian fruit bats are not regarded as being threatened with extinction in the wild.

• These bats can eat their own weight in fruit in just one night!
• Egyptian fruit bats are teetotal. Scientists have shown that Egyptian fruit bats will smell the alcohol (ethanol) produced by fermenting fruit and will actively avoid it.
• Fruit bats are also known as “flying foxes” because of their dog-like snout
• Egyptian fruit bats are the smallest of the Megachiroptera or Old world fruit bats.
• 70% of all of the World’s fruit is pollinated solely by bats.
• All 17 species of Britsh bat eat insects (are Insectivorous) not fruit eaters
• All 17 species are protected by law and need our help to survive.