Mammals
Rodrigues Flying Fox
Pteropus rodricensis · also called Rodrigues fruit bat
At sunset over a small island in the Indian Ocean, Rodrigues flying foxes stream out of their roosts toward the fruit trees, a sight that once seemed certain to disappear.
Overview
The Rodrigues flying fox, Pteropus rodricensis, is an Endangered fruit bat found only on Rodrigues Island in the Indian Ocean. Its dramatic recovery from fewer than a hundred animals, through protection and captive breeding, has made it one of the best-known conservation success stories among bats.
From a handful to thousands
The Rodrigues flying fox shows how quickly a bat can recover when its habitat and the animals themselves are protected, while remaining vulnerable because it lives on a single island.
Status
Endangered, with an increasing population confined to one small island.
Rodrigues Flying Fox: common questions
Where does the Rodrigues flying fox live?
It lives only on Rodrigues Island, part of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.
How close to extinction did the Rodrigues flying fox come?
Its numbers fell to fewer than a hundred animals in the 1970s.
How did the Rodrigues flying fox recover?
Protection of the bats and their habitat and captive breeding helped numbers recover to many thousands.
Why is the Rodrigues flying fox still endangered?
It lives on a single small island and is vulnerable to cyclones that strip fruit and trees.