Indian Flying Fox
Pteropus medius
- Class
- Mammal
- Rarity
- Rare
- Observations
- 2,968
- Most observed in
- 🇮🇳 India
- Conservation
- Near Threatened
Description
The Indian flying fox (Pteropus medius), also known as the greater Indian fruit bat, is a species of flying fox native to the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the largest bats in the world. It is of interest as a disease vector, as it is capable of transmitting several viruses to humans. It is nocturnal and feeds mainly on ripe fruits, such as mangoes and bananas, and nectar. This species is often regarded as vermin due to its destructive tendencies towards fruit farms, but the benefits of its pollination and seed propagation often outweigh the impacts of its fruit consumption.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article “Indian flying fox”.