The black flying fox (Pteropus alecto) is a large fruit bat of the family Pteropodidae, found from tropical and subtropical Australia to Sulawesi. It has a black body with some lighter hairs and a black head, often with a reddish collar on the back of the neck, a forearm of 153 to 191 millimetres and an average weight of about 667 grams. It is nocturnal and spends the day roosting in colonies called camps, mostly in bamboo thickets, mangroves and rainforest. At night it forages for the fruit, pollen and nectar of rainforest and eucalypt trees, which probably makes it an important pollinator and seed disperser that links isolated fragments of rainforest. Females breed about once a year, usually raising a single young. Throughout much of its range it is hunted for food, in Australia it is shot as an orchard pest, and it is known to carry bat lyssavirus. The species is listed as Least Concern and appears in CITES Appendix II.
Facts
Classification
System (Realm) ThreatsBiological Resource Use 2 ThreatsClimate Change and Severe Weather 2 Relationship to People Relationship to PeopleAgricultural or Structural Pest 1 Relationship to People Living or Extinct Conservation Status Body Size Band Activity Pattern Comparison
CITES Appendix Connections
Child Taxon Of
Source Pteropus alecto (Animal Diversity Web)
In Biome
Source Pteropus alecto (Animal Diversity Web)
Source Pteropus alecto (Animal Diversity Web)
Source Pteropus alecto (Animal Diversity Web)
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Pteropus alecto (Animal Diversity Web)Geographic RangeQuote, Geographic Range
It is found from tropical/subtropical Australia to Sulawesi
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Black flying fox (Wikipedia)Distribution, IndonesiaQuote, Distribution, Indonesia
Indonesia (West Papua, Sulawesi, Sumba, and Savu)
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Black flying fox (Wikipedia)DistributionQuote, Distribution
native to Australia (New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia), Papua New Guinea (Western Province)
Sources
1. Pteropus alecto (Animal Diversity Web)
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List Least Concern
Conservation Status, CITES
currently listed under CITES appendix II
Food Habits
Black flying foxes are dietary generalists known to feed on fruits, pollen, and nectar of 23 rainforest species.
Habitat, living species
Their habitat consists of rainforest, eucalyptus open forest, and savanna woodland.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Throughout much of its range, P. alecto is hunted for food.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
P. alecto is shot as an orchard pest in many areas.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative, disease
It also is known to carry/contract bat Lyssavirus
Physical Description
The forearm length measures 153 to 191 mm and average weight is 667g.
Behavior
Pteropus alecto is a nocturnal species.
Lifespan/Longevity, captivity
Average lifespan Status: captivity 19.7 years AnAge
Geographic Range
It is found from tropical/subtropical Australia to Sulawesi
In Group: Bats (Chiroptera), Scientific Classification
Order Chiroptera bats Family Pteropodidae Old World fruit bats Genus Pteropus flying foxes
In Biome: Tropical Rainforest, Habitat
Their habitat consists of rainforest, eucalyptus open forest, and savanna woodland.
In Biome: Savanna, Habitat, savanna
Their habitat consists of rainforest, eucalyptus open forest, and savanna woodland.
In Biome: Mangrove Forest, Habitat, roosting
They roost primarily in bamboo, rainforests, and mangroves.
Child Taxon Of: Pteropodidae, Scientific Classification, family
Family Pteropodidae Old World fruit bats Genus Pteropus flying foxes
View the Source2. Black flying fox (Wikipedia)
Conservation
mass die-offs caused by extreme temperature events
Conservation, hunting
In Indonesia, this species is frequently consumed as bushmeat
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