The Characteristics of the Spectacled Flying Bat

The spectacled flying fox bat is a small Australian mammal which is a member of the Pteropodidae, or old world fruit bat family. The members of this family are more commonly known as flying foxes due to their foxlike faces and ears. This bat family is different from other types because it uses eyesight instead of echolocation.

  1. Physical Description

    • Adult spectacled flying foxes range in length from 8 to 9 inches and between 1 and 2 lbs. in weight. The bat's fur is mainly black with a distinctive yellowish coloration around the eyes which gives it its name. The yellow fur can sometimes be found around the neck and shoulders also, and the markings around the eyes can be thin at times. At a distance the species can be mistaken for its close relative, the black flying fox.

    Habitat and Range

    • The bat is found mainly in far northeastern Queensland and the Halmahera and New Guinea islands. They live in the moist rain forest regions of their range, roosting mainly in dead trees or ones with low levels of foliage. The animals sometimes roost outside of the rain forest, but are never further than around four miles away. Its ability to adapt to varied ambient temperatures help it deal with the changeable weather conditions in its habitat.

    Diet and Predators

    • The majority of the spectacled flying fox's diet consists of a variety of ripe rain forest fruits. Common tree fruits eaten are those of the northern bloomwood and apple box as well as mango. Because the bat uses eyesight to find food, it tends to eat the pale-colored fruits which stand out against the dark colors of the rain forest. The bats leave their roost at dusk and congregate in fruit trees to feed. Water is obtained by flying low over water and scooping with the mouth while still flying. The common predators of the bat include carpet pythons, sea eagles and occasionally crocodiles.

    Life Cycle

    • Female bats reach sexual maturity at around 1 year old with males maturing later at about 3 years of age. Before the mating season, the bats live in mixed groups, but once breeding has begun they live in male and female groups. The gestation period is around 180 days, on average, with a single pup being born. The natural lifespan for wild individuals is not known, but captive animals have lived as long as 17 years.