Dipteryx Trees and Bats

A vital link in the survival of the tropical rainforest

A tropical fruit-eating bat caught carrying a Piper fruit. Bats are important dispersers of tropical plants and Dipteryx trees help the bats survive the lean times of year (Photo by Ethel Villalobos)

Unlike temperate bats, many tropical bats eat fruit.

Fruit-eating bats are some of the most important dispersers of tree seeds in the tropical rainforest.

These bats help spread tree seeds to open areas and help rainforests recover after clearing or natural disturbance.

Dipteryx fruits, sometimes called Tonka Beans, have a green sugary pulp on the outside that is a favorite of bats.

The huge ancient trees produce massive quantities of fruit in the mid dry season (June - September).

At this time there is little other food for fruit-eating bats so Dipteryx is vital to the survival of these bats.

Without these massive Dipteryx trees and the bats they support seeds of many species of trees might not get dispersed and the rainforest would be damaged forever.