Rodrigues flying fox

« The Rodrigues flying fox is also called the “golden bat” or “Rodrigues fruit bat” »

Rodrigues flying fox

One pretty big bat

The Rodrigues flying fox is also called the “golden bat” or “Rodrigues fruit bat”. Belonging to the “megabat” family, this flying mammal reaches a fairly substantial size and wingspan: its body measures 15 to 20 cm with a wingspan of 50 to 90 cm. It generally weighs between 300 and 350 grams.

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Arrival of the Rodrigues flying foxes

Bats from Rodrigues are coming

Relive the arrival of this brand-new species, a surprising animal that is still little-known to the general public, at the equatorial dome.

The “Sauve-Chiro” project

The Beauval Nature association supports the Comité Départemental de la Protection de la Nature et de l’Environnement’s “Sauve-Chiro” project to improve knowledge about bats, and to gradually rehabilitate bat species in France, especially in the Centre - Val de Loire region. In 2019 this programme came in 1st place for the jury’s award in the “Conservation” category.

The program received the 1st prize from the 2019 jury of the Beauval Nature awards, “Conservation” category.

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The dome’s flying foxes

Often perched in a huddle in The Equatorial Dome’s aviary, our colony of flying foxes only feel inclined to come down at lunchtime.

They also eat their food upside down!

Rodrigues flying foxes news

Sponsor our Rodrigues flying foxes

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Endangered

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Learn more about the species

Range

Rodrigues Island

Diet

Frugivore
Gestation period

4 to 6 months
Litter size

1 young
Habitat

Tropical forests

A frugivore that disseminates seeds

Despite commonly held beliefs fed by stories and legends, bats are not bloodthirsty animals; only 2 species of bats feed on the blood of other animals, and our Rodrigues flying foxes are not one of these species. Rodrigues flying foxes mainly eat fruit, spitting the seeds out and dispersing them in the process. This helps the forest regenerate (the island of Rodrigues is regularly hit by cyclones, which are devastating to the vegetation). They also enjoy pollen, thus also participating in pollination.

A flying pup

Bats give birth to 1 or 2 pups per year. Pups are born whilst the mother hangs high above the ground. The mother catches her pup in the stretchy membrane of skin that forms part of her wing, called the patagium. The pup then clings to its mother’s belly using its small pointed teeth to clamp into her dense fur. The offspring becomes independent at between 6 and 12 months old.

A skeleton made for flying

Despite its small plump body, the bat is a lightweight flight expert. Thanks to very light bones, linked together by thin, extremely stretchy membranes of skin, this small flying mammal moves perfectly in the air, aided by its excellent eyesight, similar to that of a cat.