Pemba Flying Fox Tour

This tour is organized at Kidike, somewhere near Kangagani village which is located about 2km east of the new main road between Chake Chake and Wete.

Kidike Sanctuary is home to a spectacular colony of Pemba flying foxes, a large bat indigenous to Pemba Island. With characteristic dog-like facial features, the Pemba flying fox (Pteropus voeltzkowi) is a large fruit bat with chestnut-red fur, orange underpants,
and a black face and wings.


The ears are short and pointed. Here you will see over 4000 individuals hang in a patch of trees, often taking to the air, clearly visible during the day, undisturbed by local people. The bats remain faithful to the roost (often a group of large, mature trees), returning from feeding trips in huge flocks.


The mating time is between January and April, births occurring between June
and August. The Pemba flying fox feeds on mangos, breadfruit, figs, flowers and leaves, and may be the
only species on the island that disperses larger seeds, thereby proving essential to the survival of the
plants that produce them. Unlike insectivorous bats (Microchiroptera), this species does not use
echolocation, instead using vision to locate fruit. Duration is 45 Mns.