Mauritius Flying-fox (Pteropus niger) lives in tropical forests across Mauritius Island. It feeds on fruits and nectar. Its conservation status is Endangered.
Fascinating facts about the Mauritius Flying-fox
- An 80-centimetre wingspan makes the Mauritian flying fox the biggest mammal that ever evolved on Mauritius, dwarfing every other native animal. Its forearm measures an average of 152 mm and adults weigh between 40 g and 800 g, showing a huge size range for a fruit-eating bat. These dimensions let it travel farther between fruit trees and carry larger seeds in its gut, a key advantage for spreading plant life across the island's rugged terrain. By moving seeds over long distances, the bat stitches together fragmented forest patches, helping maintain genetic diversity in a landscape where less than 2 % still hosts native vegetation. In a world where most island mammals are tiny, this giant flyer is a living engine of forest regeneration.
- Human pressure has driven the bat's numbers from an estimated 20 000 in 2006 to a contested 65 000 in 2018, while culling campaigns have removed tens of thousands of individuals. In 1974, hunters shot about 1 000 bats each year, and a 2015 government decree declared the population 'threatening' at 100 000, prompting a 20 000-bat cull that year. By 2018 the government authorised another 20 % cut, roughly 13 000 animals, despite the IUCN's warning that such losses could push the species toward 'Critically Endangered'. These rapid removals erase generations of seed-dispersers, weakening forest regeneration and increasing the risk of local extinctions for the plants that depend on them.
- A dietary study recorded the bats eating 20 plant species, of which only 18 % are native to Mauritius; alarmingly, 36 % of those native plants are classified as vulnerable or rare. By swallowing fruit and later excreting the seeds, the bats spread these scarce native species across the island. Their role as seed dispensers becomes critical because less than 1.9 % of the island still supports native vegetation.
- Recent research shows that culling 40 000 bats in 2015-16 likely erased about 40 % of the entire population, yet the practice does not reliably protect crops. Field work in lychee and mango orchards revealed that bats damaged roughly a quarter of trees, but taller trees attracted far more visits. When farmers draped large nets over the canopy, bat-caused damage fell by up to 23-fold, offering a far cheaper and ecologically safer alternative to killing thousands of bats. These findings expose a paradox: the very animals blamed for losses are also essential for forest health, and non-lethal measures can safeguard both agriculture and biodiversity.
- The species vanished from Réunion sometime between 1772 and 1801, suggesting a natural recolonisation from Mauritius.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeMauritius Island
HabitatTropical forests
DietFruits and nectar
About the Mauritius Flying-fox
In the twilight skies above the island of Mauritius, a majestic creature stirs, its leathery wings beating in a slow, hypnotic rhythm as the Mauritius Flying-fox takes to the air, its eyes shining like dark jewels in the fading light. With a gentle whoosh, it glides effortlessly across the forest canopy, its agile form weaving between the trees with an uncanny precision, as if drawn by an invisible thread to the sweet nectar and fruit that sustain it. As it flies, its very presence seems a poignant reminder of the fragility and beauty of this endangered species, a true marvel of evolution that hangs precariously in the balance.
Hear the Mauritius Flying-fox, and 4,400+ more
Real recorded sounds, 11 nature games and a free Daily 5, 1v1 quiz duels, conservation wins and a safe Kids mode. Free on Feravox.
