Mammals of the WorldLeschenault's Rousette
Rousettus leschenaultii
- Order
- Chiroptera
- Family
- Pteropodidae
- Genus
- Rousettus
- IUCN status
- NT
- Distribution
- Pakistan|India|Nepal|Bhutan|Bangladesh|Sri Lanka|Myanmar|China|Vietnam|Laos|Cambodia|Thailand|Indonesia
- Realm
- Indomalaya|Palearctic
Other names: Fulvous Fruit Bat|Shortridge's Rousette
About this species
- Size
- Head and body 9.5–12cm; forearm 7.5–8.5cm; tail 1–1.8cm
- Diet
- Fruit, nectar and flowers
- Habitat
- Tropical forest to towns; roosts in caves, abandoned buildings and tunnels
- Range
- Iran east to Java, Bali and Sumatra, including Nepal
Leschenault's rousette is a fruit bat, brown to grey-brown with lighter underparts, long pale hairs under the chin, an elongated muzzle and large dark eyes. Head and body measure 9.5 to 12cm, the forearm is about 7.5 to 8.5cm and the tail very short, 1 to 1.8cm. It was first described by Desmarest in 1820 (Wikipedia, general species account).
It lives in habitats from tropical forest to towns, roosting in caves, abandoned buildings and tunnels, often in colonies of up to several thousand. It eats fruit, nectar and flowers. The species ranges from Iran east to Java, Bali and Sumatra, and Nepal is among the countries where it is recorded. Nationally Least Concern (Nepal National Red List 2011).
Description: Wildlife of Nepal guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)