Pygmy fruit bat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pygmy Fruit Bat |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Aethalops
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| Species: |
alecto
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| Where the Pygmy Fruit Bat lives | |
| Synonyms | |
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The pygmy fruit bat (Aethalops alecto) is a small bat, also known as the grey fruit bat. It belongs to a group called megabats, which are generally larger bats that mostly eat fruit. These bats are important because they help spread seeds in their forest homes.
Where Pygmy Fruit Bats Live
Pygmy fruit bats are found in parts of Southeast Asia. They live in places like Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Java. You can also find them on the island of Borneo.
These bats prefer to live in mountain forests. They are usually found in areas that are higher than 1,000 meters (about 3,300 feet) above sea level. For example, they have been seen in the Bario highlands in Sarawak, and near Mount Kinabalu in Sabah.
Life and Habits
Scientists have studied these bats to learn about their lives. When some pygmy fruit bats were found in Bario, they were not ready to have babies.
However, other studies show when these bats usually reproduce. For example, a pregnant female bat was found on Lombok Island in October. In Peninsular Malaysia, pregnant bats have been seen in February and May. Generally, the breeding season for pygmy fruit bats seems to be between February and June.
These bats really like their mountain forest homes. They seem to stick to these higher places, which are important for their survival.
