QUEZON CITY, Philippines (August 2026) : Pinoy researchers have tracked giant fruit bats using lightweight GPS collars to map their secret nighttime flights across the country.
Biologists from the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Science Institute of Biology collaborated with local and international institutions to study the movements of three flying fox species. The team attached lightweight tracking devices to nine bats to see where they go after sunset.
Mapping the nighttime journey
Flying foxes are among the most far-ranging bats globally, capable of traveling more than 6,000 kilometers in a year. In a single night, these large fruit bats can fly more than 20 kilometers from their roosts to look for food, easily crossing islands.
Rio Renato Constantino, a researcher from the institute, explained that very little data exists regarding flying fox movements in the Philippines. Previous studies only focused on two species in Subic, leaving huge gaps in conservation knowledge.
Why these bats matter to forests
The tracking data revealed that the golden-crowned flying fox and the large flying fox travel farther than the small flying fox. The animals frequently visit feeding sites located in farmlands and residential areas heavily modified by humans.
Understanding these patterns helps protect both public health and biodiversity. Constantino noted that flying foxes perform vital ecological roles by dispersing seeds through their droppings, which helps regenerate forests and maintain tree populations. The study was published in the international journal Mammalia.
