African Straw-Colored Fruit Bat | Small Mammals Building

While at the African straw-colored fruit bat exhibit make sure to share the following information with those that are with you. The student worksheets have blanks for them to fill in. The answers are the BOLD words in the following statements:

1. True or False: Bats make up ½ of the mammal species. TRUE

2. True or False: Bats live on every continent on the planet. FALSE! THEY DON'T LIVE IN ANTARCTICA.

3. The African straw-colored fruit bat (AS-CFB) is the SECOND largest bat on the African continent.

4. The AS-CFB can be up to 9 INCHES long and weigh up to 12 OUNCES.

5. The AS-CFB can have a wing span of up to 30 INCHES!

6. A colony of AS-CFBs can range anywhere from THOUSANDS to even MILLIONS!

7. The AS-CFBs are resistant to the EBOLA VIRUS!

BONUS:
Here's some additional information for you to share with those that are with you:

A. The AS-CFBs bat gets its name from the yellowish or straw-colored fur around their neck and back.

B. The AS-CFB mothers will hold their baby, wrapping their wings around it to keep them warm while it nurses. The babies are left at the roost with all the other babies to keep each other warm while the mothers fly out to find food each night.

C. There are about 250 species of spear-nosed bats and flying foxes. These bats pollinate or disperse the seeds of over 130 genera (above a species and below a family) of plants.

GO TO THE VAMPIRE BAT EXHIBIT NEXT.