Zanzibar Mbweni Ruins Hotel - Nature Trail
Continue until you pass the Poison Fish Tree (
Barringtonia asiatica
) with its large shiny leaves. Fishermen throw the fruits into water to stun fish. Then pass the lime slaking baths and reach the corner of the old chapel. If you wish you can take a right turn here and go inside the ruined chapel for a look at the interesting Arab arcades of the interior.
Here, if you are quiet and do not disturb them, you may see Epauletted Fruit Bats (Epomophorus minimus) hanging from the ceiling of the Sacristy and Cloisters. These fly out at dusk and return at daylight. They are golden brown, with tufts of white fur at the base of their ears; the males have white ‘epaulettes’ on their shoulders.
In order to maintain contact in their night world, they utter chinking, frog-like calls which are synchronised with emissions of scent from glandular pockets in their epaulettes. They eat fruit, flowers, nectar and pollen.
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Epauletted Fruit Bat (Epomophorus minimus) |
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