I am interested in the foraging ecology of straw-coloured fruit bats, and I therefore monitor the seasonal fluctuations at a roost site in Nampula city, Mozambique. In addition to the monthly monitoring, I sometimes observe the bats at sunset and daybreak, and try to locate utilized food resources. In general, I think that travel distances to foraging areas should increase during peak times of colony size with intraspecific competition for resources. I further expect to find trade-offs between distances travelled. Finally, central place foragers should commute distances according to the predicted positive relationship between body size and travel distances.

However, the fruit bats which I am monitoring are especially vulnerable to anthropogenic changes, for several reasons. Nonetheless, they are very important for humans. I like the most that they are efficient seed spreaders.