Fruit Bat
Fruit Bat
Rousettus aegyptiacus
Soft and furry, the Rousette fruit bat is about the size of a robin without its tail. It has a long snout that makes it look similar to a dog. The bat is brownish-gray with darker wings. Rousette fruit bats at the Minnesota Zoo form a breeding colony, just like a giant family.
Interesting Facts
- Minnesota has seven native species of bats, all of which eat insects instead of fruit.
- Fruit bats are sometimes called “flying foxes” because of their long snouts.
- Like people, cats, and cows, bats are mammals. They have fur, give birth to young (instead of laying eggs), and feed their young milk from their bodies. The huge African baobab tree depends on fruit bats for pollination.
- A fruit bat colony found in Africa sheltered an estimated 40,000-50,000 individuals.
- People, cats, raptors, snakes, and weasel-like animals eat fruit bats.