Short-nosed fruit bat

Bats are a unique group of mammals that have the power of flight. Out of the 119 species found in India, 28 occur in Kerala. They are classified into two groups – large frugivorous bats ‘Megachiroptera’ and small carnivorous bats ‘Microchiroptera’.

The Short-nosed fruit bat, Cynopterus Brachyotis, belongs to the Pteropodidae family, of Megachiroptera suborder of Chiroptera order and under the class of Mammals, the Mammalia.

The Short-nosed fruit bat prefers to roost in small groups in trees, under leaves and even in caves. It is a frugivorous bat which frequently visits our backyards for imbibing nectar from the flowers of banana or feeding on fruits like Annona or plantain.

Courtesy: http://birdwingtours.com/