Selective Hunting Drives Size Decline in Madagascar’s Largest Fruit Bat

Researchers from the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago have found that Madagascar’s largest fruit bat, the Malagasy flying fox (Pteropus rufus), is shrinking. By measuring skulls and teeth from 121 specimens collected over the past 150 years, the team discovered that skulls have become significantly smaller since 1980, while teeth have remained unchanged. The study links this trend to selective hunting, which is legal from May to September each year. Hunters use nets or shotguns to capture bats for subsistence and commercial sale, often targeting the biggest individuals that yield more meat. The flying fox is a key pollinator and seed disperser, so a reduction in size could affect forest regeneration. The findings highlight how hunting pressure can alter species morphology and ecosystem services.