Malayan Flying Fox Bat Pteropus vampyrus

The Malayan Flying Fox, also called the Large Flying Fox, is one of the largest of the megabats. It is native to forests of the Malayan Peninsula, much of Indonesia south to Timor and eastwards to the Philippines.

Despite the scientific name vampyrus, its diet is entirely fruit, flowers and nectar. Fruit Bats perform a useful role in dispersal of seeds and pollen.

Upper body fur is generally a fox red or ginger but can be dark brown or blonde. Wingspan is up to some 5 feet/ 1.5 metres.

The bat is hunted for bushmeat (dangerous given its reservoir of viruses, including Nipah virus) which, in addition to habitat destruction (deliberate by farmers and collateral damage in deforestation) has led to a significant population decline to endangered status.