Rodrigues Fruit Bat
Pteropus rodricensis

Bats are the only mammals that fly. The wings are membranes that extend from the sides of the body, legs and tail and are actually extensions of the skin of the back and belly.

Bats are the most numerous mammal on the earth, but this species is one of the rarest. It is endangered, there being only 70 left on the island of Rodriguez in the Indian Ocean by 1974. Since then protection and this captive management programme, has seen an increase in numbers.

Sometimes this genus or family group of fruit eating bats are known as flying foxes and there are 59 species of Fruit Bats in the tropics around the world. These Bats do not use echo location as they see very well with their large eyes.