Rousettus aegyptiacus
Silhouette: Steven Traver · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
The Egyptian fruit bat or Egyptian rousette (Rousettus aegyptiacus) is a species of megabat that occurs in Africa, the Middle East, the Mediterranean and the Indian subcontinent. It is one of three Rousettus species with an African-Malagasy range, though the only species of its genus found on continental Africa. The common ancestor of the three species colonized the region in the late Pliocene or early Pleistocene. The species is traditionally divided into six subspecies. It is considered a medium-sized megabat, with adults weighing 80–170 g (2.8–6.0 oz) and possessing wingspans of approximately 60 cm (24 in). Individuals are dark brown or grayish brown, with their undersides paler than their backs.
The Egyptian fruit bat is a highly social species, usually living in colonies with thousands of other bats. It, along with other members of the genus Rousettus, are some of the only fruit bats to use echolocation, though a more primitive version than used by bats in other families. It has also developed a socially-complex vocalization system to communicate with conspecifics. The Egyptian fruit bat is a frugivore that consumes a variety of fruits depending on the season and local availability. Because of its consumption of commercially-grown fruits, the Egyptian fruit bat is considered a pest by farmers. It also acts as a pollinator and seed disperser for many species of trees and other plants. Wikipedia →
Recording0:13
Egypt · 2023
© Mickey · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
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Israel · 2025
© aargon · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
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Egypt · 2024
© michel_kilcher · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
More parks will be added in future updates.
No species of the same family or order lives in Tel Aviv, so these are its closest relatives here: other mammals.
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report an Egyptian Rousette sighting in Tel Aviv on a given day, based on 40 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 4th most-seen of the 9 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report an Egyptian Rousette in Tel Aviv on a given day, against about 10% in July, September and November, the lowest months. That is one of Tel Aviv's driest months, with about 15 mm of rain against 90 mm in January.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Egyptian Rousette sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
3rd of 3
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Egyptian Rousette sightings, Tel Aviv ranks 3rd at about 20%. The best odds are in Antalya (Turkey, about 50%) and Cairo (Egypt, about 30%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Egyptian Rousette is recorded against all the mammals logged in Tel Aviv (40 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
