Jersey Zoo captures birth of world's rarest fruit bat on camera

The zoo said its animals represented 90% of the global captive population

The birth of the world's rarest fruit bat has been captured on camera in Jersey.

The critically endangered Livingstone fruit bat pup was born in April, weighing 50-70g (1.8-2.5 ounces).

In 2022, Jersey Zoo reared 16 bat pups, which it said was "bolstering the safety net population in case of a disaster in the wild".

The zoo said there was only about 1,300 Livingstone fruit bats remaining in the wild due to "extensive deforestation".

The bats come from the Comoro Islands, off the African coast, and are found in the northwest of Madagascar.

The conservation charity said the mammal's habitat had been "hugely depleted", with 50% of waterways having dried up and the "destruction of their forest homes" caused by people moving on to the island.

The zoo said its animals represented 90% of the global captive population.

'Most incredible animals'

Domonic Wormell, curator of mammals at the zoo, recorded the birth and said: "Bats are really the most incredible animals and are so important to healthy ecosystems around the world.

"Hundreds of food plants are dependent on bats for pollination or seed dispersal."

Mr Wormell said the mammals were "crucial" to "bringing back these forests and helping these ecosystems replenish".

Follow BBC Jersey on Twitter and Facebook. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].