October 2007
A pumpkin treat for Longleat's bats
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Veggie 'vampires' go batty for pumpkin treat |
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A colony of free-flying Egyptian fruit bats at Longleat is enjoying a special Halloween treat in the shape of carved pumpkins.
The bats, who live in a specially designed ‘underground cave’ called ‘Old Joe’s Mine’, have been delighting visitors with their aerial acrobatics as they swoop down and even land inside the succulent squashes to grab a tasty fruit morsel.
Keeper Darren Beasley said : “Everyone immediately links bats with the spooky side of Halloween. The truth is that they really aren’t scary at all and we’ve been using the pumpkins as exciting fruit bowls and to give a seasonal feel to the attraction.”
Egyptian fruit bats get their name from the fact that in 1810, the species was originally discovered roosting in the passages of the pyramids at Giza.
As well as Egyptian burial chambers other roost sites chosen by this species include caves, dark ruins, deep cellars and even Roman Aqueducts.
They are found throughout most of Africa and can also be found in Turkey,
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A pumpkin treat for Longleat's bats |
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Cyprus, Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula. As their name suggest the bats live almost exclusively on a diet of fruit.
Adults have a wingspan of two feet, weigh just five ounces and can live for 22 years or more in captivity.
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BBC
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