Weight as an indicator of enclosure suitability in Livingstone's fruit bats (Pteropus livingstonii)

Obesity is common in zoo animals, and both dietary management and the provision of adequate opportunities for exercise are needed to tackle it. We used 30 years of records from Jersey Zoo to compare the weight and forearm length of wild and captive‐born Livingstone's fruit bats (Pteropus livingstonii), and to assess the impact on weight of enclosure space. The mean capture weight of wild‐caught male Livingstone's bats was 657 g, significantly higher than that of females (544 g). In both wild and captive‐born bats, males had significantly longer forearms than females, but there was no effect of birth location. Males weighed more in the mating season than at other times of year. Both sexes gained more weight during development if born in enclosures that restricted flight rather than a large aviary; this was particularly noticeable in females. After reaching maturity at 3 years, weights of bats born in restricted enclosures continued to increase, reached a peak of over 1000 g at 8−10 years, and then declined in both sexes. The weight of bats born in the aviary remained more stable after the age of three. Like wild bats, adult females born in the aviary weighed less than males. However, females born in restricted enclosures weighed more than males born in the same enclosures. Enclosure designs that maximize opportunities for flight can limit excessive weight gain in captive fruit bats and may therefore improve fitness and health, essential in planning for future reintroduction programs. Zoo‐born Livingstone's fruit bats gain less weight if born in a flight aviary than if born in a more restricted environment. Highlights Livingstone's fruit bats are sexually dimorphic; males weigh more than females and have longer forearms. Bats born in captivity weigh more than wild bats, and bats born in zoo enclosures that restrict flight gain more weight than those born in a flight aviary. Females' weight is more affected than males' by limited flight opportunities in captivity.