Order : CHIROPTERA
Family : Pteropodidae
Species : Pteropus hypomelanus

Forearm Length : up to 15 cm
Weight : up to 210 gms

Pteropus hypomelanus (Island Flying Fox) is the smallest of all Pteropus species; as its name suggests, it inhabits offshore islands. Its preferred roosts are in coconut palms and Casuarina trees. Its noisy, daytime roosts may number in the hundreds and are sometimes located close to towns and villages.

Its fur colour is variable but is generally dark grey-brown on the lower back to orange-brown in the underparts and around the chest and face. 

This species occurs on smaller islands throughout Southeast Asia to New Guinea.  Many populations have been decimated where the local culture includes these bats as a food source. 

Fig 1 : A pair of Island Flying Fox in a Casuarina roost at Pulau Tioman, Peninsular Malaysia.

Figs 2 to 4 : Part of a large flock of Island Fruit Bat found feeding on ripe figs after dusk, at Nikoi Island, Riau Archipelago, Indonesia.

References :

Francis, C.M. 2019. A Field Guide to the Mammals of South-east Asia. Second Edition. Bloomsbury Publishing. 416 pp.

Lekagul, B., McNeely, J., 1977. Mammals of Thailand. Association for the Conservation of Wildlife, Thailand. 758 pp.

Payne, J., Francis, C.M., 1998. A Field Guide to the Mammals of Borneo. The Sabah Society.