989K views · 216 reactions | Flying fox bats are the largest bats in...

Meet the Pacific flying fox (Pteropus tonganus), a keystone species here in the Pacific islands! 🦇 What does a bat have to do with the coastal ocean, you might ask? Bats are among the most effective, and often the only, dispersers of many large-seeded plant species. They are critical to maintaining plant diversity in and across the islands, which in turn impacts coastal habitats above and below the water. We're sharing this Pacific flying fox in celebration of #BatWeek, an annual awareness camp