Madagascan flying fox

The Madagascan flying fox (Pteropus rufus), also called the Madagascar flying-fox or Madagascar fruit bat, is a megabat in the genus Pteropus and is endemic to Madagascar. It is the largest bat on the island, with a body length of 23.5 to 27 cm, a wingspan of 100 to 125 cm and a body weight of 500 to 750 g. It lives in moist lowland forests, dry forests, succulent woodlands, spiny thickets and mangroves, and is found in all parts of the island except the central highlands, from sea level to 1,200 meters. By day it roosts in large trees in colonies of up to 1000 individuals, although about 400 is more usual. It feeds mainly on fruit juice squeezed out in the mouth, swallowing many seeds that are then dispersed, and also eats leaves, flowers and nectar; it visits kapok flowers and is believed to pollinate that tree. The IUCN classes it as Vulnerable, with numbers declining mainly because it is hunted for bushmeat, along with loss of woodland to agriculture.