Livingstone’s Flying Fox Trivia

The Livingstone’s flying fox is endemic to the Union of the Comoros island chain, just off the coast of Africa, where it is only found on the islands of Anjouan, also called Nzwani, and Mohéli, also called Mwali.

The Livingstone’s flying fox is listed as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species because of a serious population decline.

Livingstone’s flying foxes are frugivorous herbivores and feed primarily on fruit.

Livingstone’s flying foxes form small groups, called harems or colonies, in which they roost and forage. Groups of bats are also called cauldrons or clouds.

Livingstone’s flying foxes form small groups, called harems or colonies, in which they roost and forage. Groups of bats are also called cauldrons or clouds.

Livingstone’s flying foxes form small groups, called harems or colonies, in which they roost and forage. Groups of bats are also called cauldrons or clouds.

Livingstone’s flying foxes form small groups, called harems or colonies, in which they roost and forage. Groups of bats are also called cauldrons or clouds.

Over the last few decades, the Comoros have undergone a sustained, rapid deforestation, resulting in the loss of nearly all its native forests. Data quality on rates of habitat loss is poor, but best estimates are that during the past 20 years alone, the country has lost 75% of its remaining forests, the fastest rate of any country in the world.

Generation length for the wild population of the Livingstone’s flying fox is unknown, but several demographic parameters can be derived from the studbook for captive bats of this species. Females do not reproduce during the first few years of life in captivity. The minimum dam age at first reproduction has been 3.4 years, whereas the average dam age at first reproduction is 5.9 years, and the average age of females giving birth is elevated (of all dams born in captivity that have since died or are 10 years of age, mean age when giving birth = 8.1 years). Thus, based on studbook data, this last figure of 8.1 years represents our best estimate of the generation length of the captive population. This estimate may be conservative as most (75%) of these females are still alive and at least some presumably will reproduce again at a later age

The Livingstone’s flying fox is endemic to the Union of the Comoros island chain, just off the coast of Africa.

Human pressures on native forests are expected to continue, as the growth rate of the human population remains high, with an annual increase of 2.5%.

Members of the genus Pteropus are important in the dispersal of seeds in the forests they inhabit. They are often seen as keystone species because they maintain forest regeneration patterns. As such, Livingstone’s flying foxes are important members of their native ecosystems, helping to disperse fruiting tree species and sometimes pollinate plants.

Members of the genus Pteropus are important in the dispersal of seeds in the forests they inhabit. They are often seen as keystone species because they maintain forest regeneration patterns. As such, Livingstone’s flying foxes are important members of their native ecosystems, helping to disperse fruiting tree species and sometimes pollinate plants.

Members of the genus Pteropus are important in the dispersal of seeds in the forests they inhabit. They are often seen as keystone species because they maintain forest regeneration patterns. As such, Livingstone’s flying foxes are important members of their native ecosystems, helping to disperse fruiting tree species and sometimes pollinate plants.

The breeding season for the Livingstone’s flying fox is from January through June.

Livingstone’s flying foxes often use vocalizations to communicate. Like most mammals, chemoreception is important in communicating sexual receptiveness.

Livingstone’s flying foxes often use vocalizations to communicate. Like most mammals, chemoreception is important in communicating sexual receptiveness.

Livingstone’s flying fox roosts are often associated with rivers and other humid environments, a factor which may be related to their thermal sensitivity.

Livingstone’s flying foxes are one of the most critically endangered bat species.

There is an active captive-breeding program underway for the Livingstone’s flying fox initiated by Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in 1992.

Livingstone’s flying foxes are one of the most critically endangered bat species, with an estimated population size of 400-1,300 individuals.

Livingstone’s flying foxes are polygynous as males attempt to mate with as many females as they can. Females will, however, mate with more than one male throughout their lifetimes.

Despite what some may think, the Livingstone’s flying fox is not blind and actually has good vision.

Because they have very slow wing beats and a relatively slow, flapping flight, Livingstone’s flying foxes often glide, rather than fly directly.

The Livingstone’s flying fox is endemic to the Union of the Comoros island chain, just off the coast of Africa, where it is only found on two islands: Anjouan, also called Nzwani, and Mohéli, also called Mwali.

The Livingstone’s flying fox receives the highest level of legal protection available within the Union of the Comoros. It is listed as an “integrally-protected species”, which prohibits the capture or detention of individuals without a permit. This law also expressly prohibits the killing of flying fox individuals; transport, purchase, sale, export or re-export of live or dead flying fox individuals or body parts; all disruption during the period of reproduction and raising of young; and the destruction of roosts.

The species is suspected to suffer from catastrophic habitat decline caused by the cutting of trees for fuelwood and construction and by conversion of all but the steepest upland areas to agricultural use. This has resulted in extensive declines in the species’ area of occupancy, the extent of its occurrence, and the quality of its habitat. The remaining habitat is increasingly degraded and fragmented, and declines in the extent and quality of habitat are continuing. Lastly, the geographic range is small.

The species is suspected to suffer from catastrophic habitat decline caused by the cutting of trees for fuelwood and construction and by conversion of all but the steepest upland areas to agricultural use. This has resulted in extensive declines in the species’ area of occupancy, the extent of its occurrence, and the quality of its habitat. The remaining habitat is increasingly degraded and fragmented, and declines in the extent and quality of habitat are continuing. Lastly, the geographic range is small.

The species is suspected to suffer from catastrophic habitat decline caused by the cutting of trees for fuelwood and construction and by conversion of all but the steepest upland areas to agricultural use. This has resulted in extensive declines in the species’ area of occupancy, the extent of its occurrence, and the quality of its habitat. The remaining habitat is increasingly degraded and fragmented, and declines in the extent and quality of habitat are continuing. Lastly, the geographic range is small.

The loss of native forests has resulted in impermanence or complete drying of nearly all rivers on Anjouan and many on Mohéli.

The mean surface temperature of the Comoros is thought to have increased about 1° Celsius since 1900 and is expected to increase by 1-3° Celsius more by 2100 due to global climate change. It is unclear whether or how such changes will affect the Livingstone’s flying fox, but since thermal characteristics are important components of roost suitability for this and other Pteropus species, predicted temperature increases could negatively affect the availability of suitable roosting habitat.

There is no available information on the home range of Livingstone’s flying foxes, but it is known that they do not migrate.

In general, Pteropus species use olfaction to find fruiting trees and determine if fruit is ripe enough to eat.

The Livingstone’s flying fox has three features that distinguishes it from most other pteropodids, its black and tawny fur, rounded ears, and red-orange eyes.

The Livingstone’s flying fox has three features that distinguishes it from most other pteropodids, its black and tawny fur, rounded ears, and red-orange eyes.

The Livingstone’s flying fox has three features that distinguishes it from most other pteropodids, its black and tawny fur, rounded ears, and red-orange eyes.

With continuing habitat change, the Livingstone’s flying fox has retreated to higher elevations.

The Conservation Action Plan for Livingstone’s Flying Fox has been adopted by the government of the Union of the Comoros and is just one of many programs intended to help the Livingstone’s flying fox.

Livingstone’s flying foxes are frugivorous herbivores and feed primarily on fruit.

The young are weaned within 4 to 6 months of being born.

The Livingstone’s flying fox does not occur in any protected areas.

Gestation lasts 4 to 6 months, after which the young is born between July and October.

In the dry season, Livingstone’s flying foxes tend to be much more selective on what and where they feed, preferring fig trees, but in the rainy season when more food is available, they feed on a larger variety of fruits.

The Livingstone’s flying fox’s habitat change is caused by cutting of trees for fuelwood and construction, and by conversion of all but the steepest upland areas to agricultural use for subsistence agriculture and for export crops such as cloves.

The Livingstone’s flying fox’s habitat change is caused by cutting of trees for fuelwood and construction, and by conversion of all but the steepest upland areas to agricultural use for subsistence agriculture and for export crops such as cloves.

The Livingstone’s flying fox’s habitat change is caused by cutting of trees for fuelwood and construction, and by conversion of all but the steepest upland areas to agricultural use for subsistence agriculture and for export crops such as cloves.

Rapid destruction of the forest habitats the Livingstone’s flying fox rely on indicates these bats may become extinct within 10 years.

The Livingstone’s flying fox roosts and forages primarily in native forests and underplanted forests and avoids areas heavily affected by human disturbance.

There are no adverse effects of Livingstone’s flying foxes on humans and they avoid areas heavily affected by human disturbance.

Like other pteropodids, Livingstone’s flying foxes are nocturnal. They are active in the evening and at night when foraging for fruit. Females forage at night and return to their young in the maternity roost to nurse them.

The Livingstone’s flying fox can be long-lived in captivity, but its longevity isn’t well-documented and is estimated to be 15-30 years based on other Pteropus species.

Livingstone’s flying foxes do not exhibit sexual dimorphism.

The captive population of the bat subsequently expanded at a slower rate than other fruit bat species in captive breeding programs, such as the Rodrigues flying fox (Pteropus rodricensis), at least initially. However, by 2014, the Livingstone’s flying fox captive population had reached 59 individuals, 22 females and 37 males, housed at four institutions: the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Jersey, U.K.; Bristol, Clifton; West of England Zoological Society, in Bristol, U.K.; North of England Zoological Society in Chester, U.K.; and Lisieux Cerza in Lisieux, France.

There is limited information available specifically on parental investment in the Livingstone’s flying fox, but males are known not to stay around after mating, leaving the females to raise and care for the young.

Humans are the primary predators of the species, both for food and as a secondary result of forest destruction. Other predators have not been documented, but large arboreal snakes and raptors make take young and adult Livingstone’s flying foxes.

Humans are the primary predators of the species, both for food and as a secondary result of forest destruction. Other predators have not been documented, but large arboreal snakes and raptors make take young and adult Livingstone’s flying foxes.

Humans are the primary predators of the species, both for food and as a secondary result of forest destruction. Other predators have not been documented, but large arboreal snakes and raptors make take young and adult Livingstone’s flying foxes.

A very important tree for the Livingstone’s flying fox and the Seychelles flying fox (Pteropus seychellensis) during the dry season is the giant-leaved fig tree (Ficus lutea). This tree is chosen over many other fig trees.

Because they have very slow wing beats and a relatively slow, flapping flight, Livingstone’s flying foxes often glide and circle in an attempt to gain height, rather than fly directly. They use updrafts of warm air to help extend their gliding distance.

Because they have very slow wing beats and a relatively slow, flapping flight, Livingstone’s flying foxes often glide and circle in an attempt to gain height, rather than fly directly. They use updrafts of warm air to help extend their gliding distance.

Because they have very slow wing beats and a relatively slow, flapping flight, Livingstone’s flying foxes often glide and circle in an attempt to gain height, rather than fly directly. They use updrafts of warm air to help extend their gliding distance.

Critical roosting habitat at seven key roost sites that together harbored more than half the population was identified during the development of the Conservation Action Plan for Livingstone’s Flying Fox. Habitat conservation of these roost sites was identified as a key goal in this plan.

They prefer to roost in emergent trees, primarily on steep-sided valleys with southeast facing slopes, near ridge tops and in areas generally associated with dense natural vegetation.

The Livingstone’s flying fox may have naturally taken advantage of elevational differences in tree fruiting phenology to compensate for seasonal variation in fruit availability.

Colony size typically ranges from 15 to 150 individuals. The largest known roosts have sometimes reached about 250 individuals during the rainy season, but not all of these are mature individuals.

Livingstone’s flying foxes are frugivorous herbivores and feed primarily on fruit. They also feed on nectar and leaves, to a lesser degree.

Livingstone’s flying foxes are frugivorous herbivores and feed primarily on fruit. They also feed on nectar and leaves, to a lesser degree.

Livingstone’s flying foxes are frugivorous herbivores and feed primarily on fruit. They also feed on nectar and leaves, to a lesser degree.

True population change in the Livingstone’s flying fox is unknown and data on habitat change over time is limited. Best estimates indicate habitat loss has exceeded 80% over the past three generations (estimated generation length: 8.1 years/generation), because remaining habitat is increasingly degraded and fragmented, and because declines in the extent and quality of habitat are continuing.

There is no evidence that the Livingstone’s flying fox is hunted for food, a key factor affecting other fruit bat species. This may be due in part to cultural taboos among the majority of the population that surround consumption of fruit bats. However, the apparent lack of hunting may also be due in part to the bat’s habit of roosting in inaccessible areas remote from towns. Some limited hunting of the other two fruit bat species in the Comoros has been occasionally recorded.

Gestation lasts 4 to 6 months, after which a single young is born.