Head to head
Cave Nectar Bat vs Egyptian Fruit Bat
Cave Nectar Bat
VS Egyptian Fruit Bat
The cave nectar bat and Egyptian fruit bat are both Old World fruit bats that roost in big caves and pollinate flowers, but they live on different continents and navigate in different ways.
| Cave Nectar Bat | Egyptian Fruit Bat | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Eonycteris spelaea | Rousettus aegyptiacus |
| Diet | Mainly nectar and pollen from the flowers of tropical trees | Soft fruit, nectar, and pollen |
| Roost | Large colonies in limestone caves | Dense colonies inside caves, sometimes numbering in the thousands |
| Pollination | An important pollinator of durian and other tropical fruit trees whose flowers open at night | Pollinates flowers and disperses the seeds of many fruiting trees |
| Navigation and tongue | A long tongue covered in tiny bristles for lapping up nectar | One of the few fruit bats that echolocates, clicking its tongue in dark caves |
| Range | Tropical Southeast Asia and parts of southern Asia | Savanna and forest across sub-Saharan Africa and into parts of the Middle East |
| Threats and research | Depends on caves that can be disturbed or destroyed by quarrying and tourism | Studied as a natural reservoir for certain viruses, including Marburg virus |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, widespread but dependent on caves | Least Concern, widespread and locally abundant |
Cave Nectar Bat vs Egyptian Fruit Bat: common questions
Which bat pollinates durian?
The cave nectar bat, an important pollinator of durian and other tropical fruit trees whose flowers open at night.
Which fruit bat echolocates?
The Egyptian fruit bat, which clicks its tongue to echolocate in dark caves, an ability shared by very few other fruit bats.
Where do the cave nectar bat and Egyptian fruit bat live?
The cave nectar bat lives in tropical Southeast Asia and parts of southern Asia, while the Egyptian fruit bat lives across sub-Saharan Africa and into parts of the Middle East.