Fijian monkey-faced bat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fijian monkey-faced bat |
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| A male bat near the top of Mt. Koroturaga in Taveuni, Fiji. This particular bat is the holotype of the species. | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Mirimiri
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| Species: |
acrodonta
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| Where the Fijian monkey-faced bat lives | |
| Synonyms | |
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Pteralopex acrodonta |
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The Fijian monkey-faced bat (Mirimiri acrodonta) is a special type of large bat. It is also known as the Fijian flying fox. This bat lives only on the island of Fiji. Scientists first found it in 1976. They discovered it in an old cloud forest on Des Vœux Peak. This peak is the second highest mountain on Taveuni island. The Fijian monkey-faced bat is the only mammal that is unique to Fiji. This means it is found nowhere else in the world! It used to be in the Pteralopex group of bats. Now, it has its own unique group called Mirimiri.
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What Does the Fijian Bat Look Like?
These bats are quite large. They usually weigh between 222 and 362 grams. That's about as much as a can of soda! Their forearms are about 120 millimeters long. Their fur is thick and a uniform tan color. Sometimes their fur is so thick it hides their ears.
Their wings attach to their bodies closer to their spine.
Where Do These Bats Live?
The Fijian monkey-faced bat is found only on Taveuni island. This is the third-largest island in Fiji. They live only in the mountain forests on the island. These forests are often covered in clouds. It is possible they might also live on Vanua Levu island. However, no one has confirmed this yet. This bat is the only large bat that is unique to Fiji.
What Do We Know About Their Lives?
Scientists do not know much about these bats. They are hard to find and there are very few of them. They seem to hide in clumps of plants that grow on trees. These plants are called epiphytic plants. They live high up in the cloud forest trees.
A pregnant bat was once found in May. Also, female bats that were feeding their babies have been seen in May. Scientists think these bats eat tough plants. They believe this because of the shape of their teeth.
What's in a Name?
When this bat was first found, scientists thought it belonged to a group of bats called Pteralopex, which are often called "monkey-faced bats" because of their distinctive faces. Most of these Pteralopex bats live in the Solomon Islands, which are not too far from Fiji.
However, as scientists learned more and used special tools like genetics research (which looks at an animal's DNA, like a unique instruction book for its body), they realized the Fijian monkey-faced bat was so different from the other Pteralopex bats that it needed its very own special group, or "genus." So, it was given a brand new scientific name: Mirimiri acrodonta. The word "Mirimiri" is a Fijian word, which makes its new name even more special and connected to its home!
Because it's no longer in the Pteralopex group, some people now call it the "Fijian flying fox" instead of the "Fijian monkey-faced bat." But no matter what you call it, it's still the same amazing creature!
Why Is This Bat in Danger?
Only six of these bats have ever been seen by people. This bat is listed as a critically endangered species. This means it is in extreme danger of disappearing forever. The main reason for this is habitat loss. Their home, the cloud forest, is shrinking.
The population of these bats is very small. Scientists believe there are fewer than 1,000 bats left. The Alliance for Zero Extinction has identified this bat as being in danger of extinction. In 2013, Bat Conservation International put this bat on its list of top 35 species to protect worldwide.
Threats
The bat's habitat is being lost and broken up. This is happening because of of things like:
- Pollution: Harmful substances getting into their environment.
- Agriculture: Forests being cleared to grow crops.
- Extreme Weather: Powerful storms, which are becoming more common with climate change, can damage their homes.
- Urbanization: More towns and cities being built.
- Mahogany Plantations: Even though some of their forest is in the "Taveuni Forest Reserve," many of Fiji's forest reserves have been turned into plantations for growing mahogany trees, which means the bats lose their natural homes.
Climate change is another big problem. It is expected to make cloud forests around the world shrink. This will cause even more habitat loss for the Fijian monkey-faced bat. Even though their forest is a reserve, much of it has been turned into plantations.
Fun Facts About the Fijian Monkey-Faced Bat
- This bat is the only living member of an ancient genus Mirimiri. Its relatives are all extinct.
- The genus name 'Mirimiri' is the Fijian word for "bat."
- It's one of the rarest bats in the world.
- They don't hunt insects. They are frugivores, meaning their diet consists mainly of fruits.
- Unlike many bats, they do not have tails.
- Most bats have dark brown or black eyes, but the Fijian monkey-faced bat has beautiful, vibrant orange eyes, which is extremely unusual.
- It appears to be mostly solitary or live in very small groups, unlike the massive colonies formed by many other fruit bat species.
- In 2013, Bat Conservation International put the Fijian monkey-faced bat on its worldwide priority list of 35 species that urgently need help.
