Peters's epauletted fruit bat facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Peters's epauletted fruit bat
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Chiroptera
Family:	Pteropodidae
Genus:	Epomophorus
Species:	E. crypturus
Binomial name
Epomophorus crypturus Peters, 1852
Peters's epauletted fruit bat range
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The Peters's epauletted fruit bat (scientific name: Epomophorus crypturus) is a type of large bat. It belongs to a family called Pteropodidae, often known as "fruit bats" or "megabats." You can find this bat in several countries in Africa, including Angola, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. These bats like to live in places with lots of fruit trees, such as forests near rivers or moist woodlands.

About the Peters's Epauletted Fruit Bat

This bat was first described as a new species in 1852. A German scientist named Wilhelm Peters gave it its name. He found the first example of this bat in Mozambique during an expedition.

Physical Features of the Fruit Bat

Peters's epauletted fruit bats are medium-sized bats. Their forearm length is usually between 75 and 88 millimeters (about 3 to 3.5 inches). They can weigh anywhere from 56 to 140 grams (about 2 to 5 ounces).

Diet and Reproduction

These bats mainly eat plants. They enjoy munching on fruits and sipping nectar from flowers.

When it comes to having babies, female bats usually have one baby at a time. It's very rare, but sometimes they might have twins. When a baby bat is born, it is quite helpless. Its eyes are closed, and it doesn't have much fur yet. A newborn bat weighs around 11 grams (less than half an ounce). It's thought that most births happen around September. Females likely give birth once each year.

These bats have different ways of resting during the day. Some bats might roost alone. Others prefer to hang out in big groups, sometimes with hundreds of other bats!

Where These Bats Live and Their Status

The Peters's epauletted fruit bat lives in Southern Africa. They have been found at different heights, from about 500 to 2,185 meters (1,640 to 7,169 feet) above sea level.

Countries Where They Are Found

You can find these bats in many countries. Their home range includes:

• Angola
• Botswana
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Eswatini
• Malawi
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Tanzania
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Conservation Status

As of 2016, the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has listed this bat as a least-concern species. This means that scientists believe the bat's population is stable. It is not currently at high risk of disappearing. These bats can even live in areas where humans have changed the habitat a bit. Their numbers are not thought to be dropping quickly.