Mammals
Jamaican Fruit Bat
Artibeus jamaicensis · also called Jamaican fruit-eating bat
Carrying a ripe fig in its mouth through a tropical night, a Jamaican fruit bat flies to a favourite perch to feed, dropping seeds on the forest floor as it goes.
Overview
The Jamaican fruit bat, Artibeus jamaicensis, is a Least Concern leaf-nosed bat found from Mexico to northern South America and the Caribbean. Its fig-eating habits, white facial stripes, and seed-spreading make it one of the most important fruit bats of tropical forests in the New World.
A forest gardener
By moving seeds from one place to another, this bat helps tropical forests regrow after they have been cleared or damaged.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and common across much of its range.
Jamaican Fruit Bat: common questions
What does the Jamaican fruit bat eat?
It feeds mainly on ripe fruit, especially figs, along with some pollen and leaves.
How does the Jamaican fruit bat help forests?
It carries fruit away to feed and drops the seeds as it flies, helping tropical forests regrow.
Why is it called a leaf-nosed bat?
It has a small leaf-shaped flap of skin on its nose, typical of the New World leaf-nosed bats.
Where is the Jamaican fruit bat found?
It lives in forests and woodlands from Mexico through Central America to northern South America and the Caribbean.