AnimalsThe Indian flying fox is one of the largest bats in the world. It is a fruit bat with a fox-like face. Large, noisy colonies hang in tall trees by day and fly out at dusk to feed on fruit and nectar, spreading seeds and pollen as they go.
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Pteropus medius
- Group
- Mammals
- Diet
- Herbivore (eats plants)
- Lives in
- South Asia
- Habitat
- Large trees near farms, towns and water
- A young one is called
- pup
- A group is called
- colony or camp
- Conservation status
- Near Threatened
How it is classified
Scientists sort living things into groups within groups. Reading down, each step is a smaller group, ending with the species itself.
- Kingdom Animalia
- Phylum Chordata
- Class Mammalia
- Order Chiroptera
- Family Pteropodidae
- Genus Pteropus
- Species Pteropus medius
Classification follows the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Other reference works arrange some groups differently. How classification works.
Is it in danger?
The Indian flying fox is listed as Near Threatened. The species is not yet classed as threatened, but it is close and may become so soon.
This is the IUCN Red List category as recorded in Wikidata on 11 November 2026. The IUCN Red List itself is the authority and may carry a newer assessment. What the categories mean.