| STRAW-COLORED FRUIT BAT |
| Eidolon helvum |
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Range:
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Found throughout sub-Saharan Africa. |
 Fruit bats are rarely preyed upon because they live in large colonies, sometimes numbering into the tens of thousands. However, on some occasions, fruit bats are taken by owls, eagles, buzzards or snakes. It is also common for a large number of bats to be shot in pest eradication attempts or for a source of food.
In some areas these bats are hunted and eaten by humans, but in other areas they are protected. Many farmers in Africa think of the bats as a threat to the introduced pine plantations, because the bats gnaw the bark. However, these bats do not cause very much harm to the trees and should not be harmed.
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| Habitat: |
Prime habitat is forested region where food sources are abundant. |
| Diet: |
Sweet fruit, tender buds, leaves, nectar, flowers and pollen-wild figs are an important food source. |
| Status: |
Not threatened (IUCN) |
| Approximate Dimensions of Adult: |
Wingspan: 30-36 inches
Length: 5-8 inches |
| Lifespan: |
Up to 21 years. |
| Reproduction & Offspring: |
Females give birth once per year, having births occur from February through May. Reproductive cycle shifts to suit the environment and seasonal climate. |
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