Size: Body length; 15 cm. Wingspan; 60 cm. Weight; 120-150g

Habitat and Distribution: hey occur in a variety of habitats from valleys to mountainous areas where they find shelter in caves, rock crevices and date plantations. They are found throughout Africa and the Middle East as far as Pakistan and northern India.

Age: Up to 22 years in captivity.

Groups and Breeding: These bats live in huge colonies of up to 2,000 individuals, both male and female. The more individuals there are in a colony the closer they will roost. This species matures at nine months old and after a gestation of 115-120 days, one or two young will be born. The young are carried by their mother until they are six weeks old and able to hang and hunt for themselves. While they are learning young will constantly communicate with their mother’s through a series of squeaks which the mother will in turn answer.

Diet: This species is frugivorous meaning it eats mainly fruit but will also take pollen, nectar and other plant parts.

• These bats use the only form of echolocation that is audible to the human ear. This is because they do so by clicking their tongue (rather than making a noise in their larynx as other bat species do)
• In 1810, this species was found roosting in the passages of the pyramids at Giza.
• When fruit bats give birth, they remain hanging in their roosting position. After a labour of only a few minutes, the new born bat may actually hang suspended by the umbilical cord for a few seconds before finding it’s mother’s stomach. A new born bat will weigh only 22g.
• These bats can eat their own weight in fruit in just one night!
• 70% of all of the World's fruit is pollinated solely by bats.
• To get the best hanging position, food and females, males will box using their wings. All the time making a high pitch screaming noise.
• Bats don’t like to get drunk! Scientists have shown that Egyptian fruit bats will smell the alcohol (ethanol) produced by fermenting fruit and will actively avoid it.