🦇
🏷️
Classification
Mammal
🍽️
Diet
Insectivore
⏱️
Lifespan
20–30 years
⚖️
Weight
0.4–0.8 kg
Population Trend
➡️Stable
Description
The Tongan Fruit Bat (Pteropus tonganus) is a mammal indigenous to Tonga. It inhabits tropical forests and coastal areas of the tongan archipelago.
Habitat
🌿 tropical forests and coastal areas of the tongan archipelago
Extended Data
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Chiroptera
Family
Pteropodidae
Genus
Pteropus
Fun Facts
1
The Tongan fruit bat (known locally as 'peka') has a wingspan of over 1 meter and is one of the most visible animals in Tonga
2
They roost in large colonies of hundreds to thousands of individuals in tall trees, creating a spectacular sight at dusk
3
Fruit bats are the only native land mammals remaining in Tonga — all other native mammals are marine species
4
In Tongan culture, fruit bats were traditionally hunted as a delicacy and featured in Tongan royal feasts
5
They play a vital ecological role by pollinating tropical flowers and dispersing seeds across the islands