Lincoln Park Zoo

Common name: Straw-colored fruit bat
Latin Name: Eidolon helvum

Class: Mammals
Order:    Chiroptera

Description
A large fruit-bat species, the straw-colored fruit bat can reach up to 8.5 inches in length and have a 30-inch wingspan. The bat gets its name from the yellowish fur around its neck, which is more conspicuous in adult males.

Range
The straw-colored fruit bat is widely distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa and can also be found on the southwest portion of the Arabian Peninsula.

Status
Straw-colored fruit bats are common throughout their range.

Habitat
The species can be found in a range of habitats, from tropical forests to savannas. Forested areas are favored habitats, as they feature an abundance of the fruits the bat feeds on.

Niche
The species is nocturnal, roosting in tall trees during the day and flying at night in search of fruit. The bats suck the juices from ripe fruit, spitting out the pulp as they feed. To find their meals, straw-colored fruit bats can forage over a range of 18 miles.

Life History
The species lives in large colonies, which can range in size from 100,000–1 million bats. After breeding, females sometimes experience delayed implantation of the fertilized egg, timing the birth for food to be plentiful when offspring first venture out on their own. Bats are unable to fly at birth, and mothers alone provide care.

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