Egyptian Fruit Bat - Five Sisters Zoo

Egyptian Fruit Bats are a medium-sized species of bat commonly found across Africa. Individuals have a light brown to grey coat with a thicker ring of fur around the neck. They possess a wingspan of approximately 2ft and are the only known mammals capable of true flight. As of 2025, there are now 1,500 known bat species living on all continents except for Antarctica.

 

Facts

Diet: Frugivorous; fruit and juice from apricots, mulberries, figs and more, along with flower nectar.

Weight:  80 to 170 grams

Wingspan: 60 centimetres

Length:  12 to 19 centimetres

Habitat: African continent; Forest, savanna, shrub-land, grassland, and desert. Prefers semi-humid environments, including old mine shafts and manmade structures.

Life Span:  9 years in the wild; under human care, they can live up to 25 years

Adapted to Survive

  • Eyes are adapted to see with minimal light
  • Like many other bats, they will use echolocation for navigation
  • Longer snout enables them to access more fruit and nectar

Threats

  • Human-animal conflict
  • Habitat loss and fragmentation

IUCN Conservation Status

Least Concern

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