Mammals
Cave Nectar Bat
Eonycteris spelaea · also called dawn bat
Streaming out of a limestone cave at dusk, thousands of cave nectar bats fan out across the Southeast Asian night to visit the flowers of durian trees, pollinating the fruit before it ever forms.
Overview
The cave nectar bat, Eonycteris spelaea, is a Least Concern fruit bat of tropical Southeast Asia and parts of southern Asia. Its cave colonies, nectar-lapping tongue, and role as a pollinator of durian make it one of the most economically important bats in the region.
A bat that pollinates a famous fruit
Durian flowers open at night and are pollinated largely by bats, so the cave nectar bat helps put a prized fruit on the table.
Status
Least Concern, widespread but dependent on caves.
Cave Nectar Bat: common questions
Why is the cave nectar bat important to durian?
It is an important pollinator of durian and other tropical fruit trees whose flowers open at night.
Where does the cave nectar bat roost?
It roosts in large colonies in limestone caves.
What threatens the cave nectar bat?
It depends on caves that can be disturbed or destroyed by quarrying and tourism.
Where is the cave nectar bat found?
It lives in tropical Southeast Asia and parts of southern Asia.