. ▁ins ular um ▁on ▁the ▁K ange an ▁Islands ; ▁C . ▁b . ▁jav an icus ▁on ▁Java ; ▁and ▁C . ▁b . ▁min ut us '' ▁on ▁N ias . ▁ ▁E colog ical ▁and ▁economic ▁importance ▁▁ ▁L esser ▁short - n osed ▁fruit ▁b ats ▁are ▁free ▁of ▁terrest rial ▁pred ation ▁because ▁of ▁their ▁ability ▁to ▁fly . ▁Some ▁human ▁cult ures ▁consume ▁them ▁as ▁a ▁del ic acy . ▁They ▁play ▁important ▁roles ▁in ▁plant ▁pol lin ation . ▁Pl ants ▁such ▁as ▁ban anas , ▁av oc ados , ▁dates , ▁m ango es ▁and ▁pe aches , ▁and ▁depend ▁on ▁them ▁for ▁seed ▁dispers al . ▁The ▁b ats ▁are ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁c rop ▁p ests ▁since ▁they ▁consume ▁and ▁damage ▁fruit . ▁ ▁Conserv ation ▁status ▁▁ ▁L esser ▁short - n osed ▁fruit ▁b ats ▁are ▁designated ▁a ▁least - con c ern ▁species ▁by ▁the ▁International ▁Commission ▁on ▁Zo ological ▁N omen cl ature ▁( IC Z N ) ▁because ▁the ▁population ▁is ▁widely ▁distributed , ▁stable ▁and ▁still ▁abund ant . ▁Possible ▁thre ats ▁may ▁be ▁habitat ▁loss ▁due ▁to ▁development , ▁d ams , ▁and ▁def or est ation . ▁The ▁animals ▁are ▁being ▁h unted ▁for ▁medical ▁purposes , ▁as ▁reported ▁in ▁IC Z N ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁ ▁Category : C yn opter us ▁Category : B ats ▁of ▁Asia ▁Category : B ats ▁of ▁S out