Greater Shortnosed Fruit Bat

The greater short-nosed fruit bat has a fairly long snout and brown to grey-brown upperparts, paler below, with a wingspan of about 48cm and an average forearm of 70.2mm. It is a voracious eater that can take more than its body weight in one sitting, finding fruit by scent, and guava, banana, sapodilla, dates and lychee are favourites (Wikipedia, general species account).

It builds simple tents by chewing palm fronds, or interlaces leaves and twigs on vines growing over buildings. Females outnumber males, and in central India it breeds twice a year with a single young each time, after a gestation of about three to five months. Newborns weigh about 13.5g and wean at four weeks. It is regarded as a pest of fruit crops. Nationally Least Concern (Nepal National Red List 2011).