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We studied the diet, habitat use and biology of  Rousettus madagascariensis , a relatively small (∼55–77 g) fruit bat endemic to Madagascar, between July 2004 and May 2005. Faecal analysis revealed few seeds in the diet, suggesting that the bats either feed extensively on nectar, flowers and leaves or on fruits with seeds too large to ingest. However, bats were captured near fruiting  Ficus  sp. inside relatively intact forest and  Ficus  sp. seeds were found in the faeces during March and April. Defecated  Ficus rubra  seeds germinated significantly faster than seeds from ripe fruits under controlled conditions, but germination rates were similar. Radio tracking and observations of light-tagged individuals revealed that  R. madagascariensis  travelled a straight line distance of at least 8 km between the roost and feeding locations, with round trip foraging routes of up to 27 km. Most juveniles were trapped between March and July and we infer that weaning of young started before 8 weeks of age. The features used to distinguish juveniles from adults were no longer evident in December and it appears therefore that  R. madagascariensis  reaches somatic maturity within a single year. Pregnancy, lactation and weaning in this species coincide with the austral summer when food availability is higher.

Feeding ecology, habitat use and reproduction of Rousettus madagascariensis Grandidier, 1928 (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) in eastern Madagascar