Despite its impressive size — its wingspan can reach nearly a metre — the monkey-faced bat is a gentle vegetarian. It flies through the forest canopy at night, sniffing out ripe fruit, flowers, and nectar. Its excellent eyesight and sense of smell guide it in the dark, rather than the echolocation that insect-eating bats rely on.
When the bat eats fruit, it swallows the seeds. As it flies from tree to tree across the forest, it drops seeds in its droppings, planting new trees all across the island. Without fruit bats, the rainforest would struggle to regrow after a storm or landslide. Scientists call animals like this 'keystone species' — without them, the whole ecosystem changes.
The monkey-faced bat is found on only a handful of Solomon Islands, and protecting its forest home is vital. Local communities on islands like Choiseul and Isabel are working with conservation groups to set aside protected areas where the bats can roost and feed safely. Spotting one at dusk as it glides out of the canopy is one of the most exciting wildlife moments in the Solomons.