Island Flying Fox
Pteropus hypomelanus
A fruit bat of Southeast Asia's islands that spreads seeds and pollinates flowers as it feeds at night.
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About the Island Flying Fox
Island flying foxes, also called small flying foxes, weigh about a pound and stand about 10 inches tall, with leathery wings up to 4 feet across. Their fur is dark brown to light yellowish brown. They live in forests, coconut groves and orchards on islands of Southeast Asia and eat fruit, flowers, nectar, pollen, seeds and nuts.[1]
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Pteropus hypomelanus[1]
- Size
- About 10 inches tall; wingspan up to 4 feet.[1]
- Weight
- About 1 pound.[1]
- Lifespan
- About 8 years in the wild; 20+ in human care.[1]
- Diet
- Fruit, flowers, nectar, pollen, seeds, grains and nuts.[1]
- Habitat
- Broadleaf forests, coconut groves and orchards.[1]
- Where it lives
- Islands of Southeast Asia.[1]
- Group life
- Colonies that can number in the thousands. Nocturnal.[1]
- Babies
- One pup.[1]
- Conservation status
- Near Threatened (IUCN Red List, assessed 2018).[2]
Fun facts
Vocabulary
- megabat
- A large fruit-eating bat, also called a fruit bat or flying fox.
- seed dispersal
- How seeds get carried to new places, like when an animal eats fruit and drops the seeds.
- pollinator
- An animal that carries pollen from flower to flower.
- nocturnal
- Active mainly at night.
- near threatened
- A conservation label meaning a species may soon be at risk of dying out if things don't improve.
See it in person
- Oakland ZooOakland, California · Children's ZooSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗
These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.
Sources
- [1] Oakland Zoo. “Island Flying Fox.” https://www.oaklandzoo.org/animals/island-flying-fox/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Pteropus hypomelanus (Island Flying Fox).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18729/22081642 (accessed 2026-10-02)
Facts last checked 2026-10-02.
