Fruit Bats At Nong Mon

[Deeral]

The other day I saw a large flock of fruit-bats (several hundred) flying near the Nong Mon By-pass Chonburi,

They were flying from the North, as it was evening I can assume they had recently left their roost - which is likely to be a monastery of similar.

I was wondering if anyone knows where they are roosting - I'd like to go see.

I'm not sure which is the right forum for this - mods - can you move it if you think it would be better elsewhere

[liveinlos]

Similar to Pak Chong where over 5,000,000 bats leave a cave every evening before sunset, form a giant formation and fly off

[basjke]

Similar to Pak Chong where over 5,000,000 bats leave a cave every evening before sunset, form a giant formation and fly off

Are you sure you counted correct?

[Deeral]

Yes except that these fruit bats have a wingspan of 1.5 to 3 feet.

[Deeral]

Yes except that these fruit bats have a wingspan of 1.5 to 3 feet.

Although 5 million bats must be a spectacular sight, 5 million fruit-bats would present a different set of problems especially relating to their diet.

They eat fruit and as anyone who has eaten two or three mangoes in quick succession knows what the result can be!

Fruit-bats are no exception.

[huangnon]

I've seen a colony of fruit bats in a cemetary in Minburi. The ground around the trees where they roosted was totally grass-less and dead due tot he high acidity of the bat's droppings. The whole area around them was dead and without colour; pretty spooky scene actually.

I would imagine they have to keep relocating to different areas due to this.

[Deeral]

I've seen a colony of fruit bats in a cemetary in Minburi. The ground around the trees where they roosted was totally grass-less and dead due tot he high acidity of the bat's droppings. The whole area around them was dead and without colour; pretty spooky scene actually.

I would imagine they have to keep relocating to different areas due to this.

The places where they roost can get pretty gruesome due to the urine excrement etc - they don't usually move on unless they are disturbed or eaten. The usual thing is to let them stay in one place - they don't eat there or anything like that - they fly off in the evening and return at dawn. Each day they fly off in a different direction and disperse looking for fruit. This can make them pretty unpopular with fruit farmers, but they also play an important part in seed dispersal, pollination etc i

Edited August 1, 2010 by Deeral

[Xonax]

Two years ago I saw thousands of these huge creatures hanging from the trees in one of the Similan Islands (the island with the restaurant and bungalows). It was in the daytime and most of them were sleeping, but a few of them flew from tree to tree. They were so close, that you could take good photos of them with a smaller zoom lens.

They can also be spotted here in BKK, if you are lucky to find any larger trees.

Edited August 1, 2010 by Xonax

[oldmajor]

I saw a huge Block of Flats here in BKK today.

[Deeral]

I saw a huge Block of Flats here in BKK today.

Nice one!