Brazilian Big-eyed Bat - Diet and Behaviour

Diet and Behaviour

The Brazilian big-eyed bat is nocturnal, and at its most active after midnight. It is herbivorous and highly specialised for eating figs, although it may occasionally feed on other fruits or flowers. Although it is not the only species of bat to feed on figs, only it, and its close relative the hairy big-eyed bat, have been reported to chew the seeds, as well as the softer pulp, of the fruit. By doing so, they can extract more nutrition, especially protein, from the figs, allowing them to subsist primarily on this one type of fruit. Although little is known of its roosting habits, the bat does not appear to be gregarious, with groups of no more than five individuals having been reported.

Few details are known of the Brazilian big-eyed bat's reproductive habits. While some studies show that breeding may occur only at certain times of the year, others have shown that it can continue year-round. Newborn young are as much as 4.8 centimetres (1.9 in) in length (almost two thirds the length of their mothers) though much lighter. Young bats are somewhat more greyish than the adults and lack the distinct facial markings, although the stripe down the back is present from birth.