This is amongst the heaviest of the world's bats at up to 2.6 pounds (1.2 kg). Currently, it is always found roosting with Pteropus vampyrus (and sometimes Pteropus hypomelanus), but it is uncertain if it has always occurred in mixed roosts. It typically roosts in trees, and sometimes in mangroves on small islands (Hoogstraal 1951, Rabor 1986, Heaney et al. 1998). There is generally high roost site fidelity (T. Mildenstein pers. comm. 2006), and roost sites are often located on steep slopes and cliff edges in areas that are difficult to access by humans. In mixed roosts of A. jubatus and P. vampyrus on Bohol, Boracay, Luzon, Mindanao, and Negros, A. jubatus was observed in the forest (away from the forest edge), whereas P. vampyrus were at the periphery, which might reflect a sensitivity of A. jubatus to disturbance (Mildenstein 2012, Gomez in litt. 2007).

A. jubatus is known to be forest-dependent based on studies of diet and habitat use (Mildenstein et al. 2005, Stier and Mildenstein 2005, Mildenstein 2012). Compared to co-roosting P. vampyrus, A. jubatus’ diet consists of a small subset of native forest tree species (N<20 species, Stier and Mildenstein 2005) focusing especially on hemi-epiphytic fig species, which may be a staple food item (Stier and Mildenstein 2005). A. jubatus preferentially selects primary and high-quality second-growth forest for foraging (Stier and Mildenstein 2005, Mildenstein et al. 2005). The species may occasionally leave this type of habitat, using streams where fig trees grow on banks, they rarely forage in orchards on agricultural trees (Mildenstein et al. 2005). On Mindanao, farmers believe that A. jubatus is a pest in fruit orchards, but this remains unverified, and it is possible that these individuals are misidentified P. vampyrus which are known to use orchards regularly (T.L. Mildenstein in litt. 2007).

This species is endemic to the Philippines, where it is widespread with the exception of the Palawan faunal region and among the Batanes and Babuyan island groups (Heaney et al. 1998). It generally occurs at an altitude range of 0-1,100 m asl. It is only found in large roosts with Pteropus vampyrus. Although P. vampyrus roosts have been, and are often still assumed to have A. jubatus present, the presence of A. jubatus at many roosts has not been confirmed. There are historic records for the species on the following islands: Basilan, Biliran (forgaging from a roost on Maripipi - Rickart et al. (1993)), Bohol, Bongao, Boracay, Cabo (in Igat Bay, in Zamboanga del Sur Province, off Mindanao), Cebu, Dinagat, Jolo, Leyte, Luzon, Marinduque, Maripipi, Mindanao, Mindoro, Negros, Panay (formerly regarded as Acerdon lucifer), Polillo, Sibutu and Siquijor.

Recent surveys by the Bat Count Project (source Bat Count reports: Mildenstein et al. 2005, and Mildenstein 2011, unless alternative source given) on the presence and absence of A. jubatus at various bat colonies on islands in the Philippines report its presence at the following sites: 1) Bohol Island: Raja Sikatuna Protected Landscape, Bilar, 2) Boracay Island: A roosting colony was known that feeds on nearby Panay, but has recently been reported missing (M. Saulog pers. comm. 2011), 3) Cebu: A roost at between barangay Malones and Lanao, Dalaguete: and second roost was located in Boljoon town in southern Cebu in 2008 (L. Paguntalan pers. comm. 2011), 4) Leyte: Bilaran Island (L. Paguntalan pers. comm. 2011) and a colony at Mount Pangasugan, but Acerodon jubatus presence is unconfirmed, 5) Luzon: There are confirmed roosts documented from Subic Forest Watershed Reserve, Subic Bay, Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park, Divilacan, Cagayan, and in Ilocos Norte province, Pangasinan province, Baler in Aurora province, and Calamba in Laguna province (P. Alviola pers. obs. 2005), and possible roosts on Mount Banahaw (D. Balete pers. obs. 2003) and Kamunayan-Tabugan, Baggao, Cagayan (M.R. Duya pers. comm. 2005), 6) Mindanao: Roosts are known from Mutia, Calamba and Oroquieta City, Mount Malindang, Misamis Occidental (Ramayla, pers. obs. 2006, Nuñeza et al. 2006), Mount Hamguitan, Eastern Mindanao (D. Balete pers. obs. 2005), Malagos Forest Watershed Reserve, Davao (N.R. Ingle pers. obs. 2004, Gomez in litt. 2007, and Bat Count Project), and Mt. Diwata, Agusan del Sur (Nuñeza et al. 2008). In Siocon and the Philippine Coconut Authority Area in Zamboanga del Norte, there is a roost of about 5,000 individuals of Pteropus vampyrus and Acerodon jubatus (according to trained students and the DENR), and Desmond Allen photographed a roost of Acerodon jubatus and Pteropus vampyrus in Bongao, Tawi-tawi (between 2003-2007). Possible roost sites, where the presence of the species requires confirmation, are in: Magum and Mati, Davao Oriental, Malita, Davao del Sur, and Mount Hilong-hilong, in the lowland dipterocarp forest of Cantilan and Carrascal, Surigao del Sur (Gomez in litt. 2007), 7) Mindoro: a roost occurs at Bilog na Sapa, Sablayan, Mindoro Occidental and possibly on the eastern side of the island (Saulog and Garcia pers. comm. 2005), 8) Negros: Calinawan, Enrique Villanueva and Sibulan, in Negros Oriental, Mambukal, Barangay Minoyan, Murcia, Mount Patag, and possible roosts in a mangrove area in the towns of Sagay, Hinoba-An, and Isabella near Mt. Kanlaon (L. Paguntalan pers. comm. 2011) and in the Manlukahoc area (E. Alcala pers. comm. 2006), Negros Occidental, and 9) Polillo: a roost occurs on privately owned land (Alviola pers. comm. 2006).

The Bat Count Project has surveyed the following colonies of Pteropus vampyrus and did not find any A. jubatus (though it is unclear whether the species occurred in any of these roosts historically (Mildenstein 2011)): 1) Cebu: Tabunan, 2) Mindanao: Bongo Island, Maguindanao Province, and Pinol and Maitum, Sarangani Province, 3) Negros Oriental (southeast Negros): Sagay, Vallehermosa and San Jose, and 4) Panay: Batbatan Island and Culasi, Antique Province. The Siquijor populations are possibly extinct (Lepiten 1995), this species has been reported absent from there recently (A.B. Cariño pers. comm. 2006).

Current conservation efforts

The species is protected under the Philippine Wildlife Act (Republic Act No. 9147, 2001). A. jubatus has been included in Appendix I of CITES since 1995 (the species had previously been included in Appendix II since 1990). Although the species itself is formally protected, there is little enforcement of the protective legislation (N. Ingle pers. comm. 2011).

In addition, the majority of the species' roosts are within formally designated protected areas, but most receive very little protection (S. Stier and T. Mildenstein pers. comm. 2001, M. Pedregosa-Hospadarsky pers. comm. 2010, R. Pamaong-Jose pers. comm. 2011, L. Paguntalan pers. comm. 2011, Nuñeza et al. 2006, S. Ramayla pers. comm. 2011, E. Breganza pers. comm. 2010, Mildenstein 2012).

Conservation needs/priorities

Clearly, one of the top priorities needs to be additional research on which we can base our conservation management decisions. We need to know more about where populations are extant, and we need to know much more about their current status. Long-term studies that track populations are very badly needed (L. Heaney pers. comm. 2011).
More focused conservation efforts are also urgently needed for this species throughout its range. Especially needed are the establishment and management of protected roosting areas, which are expected to result in a rapid increase in the number of bats at the roost sites (Mildenstein 2012). Protected flying fox roosts have the added benefit of being popular eco-tourist attractions, providing local communities with a source of pride, income, and a venue for learning about the natural heritage of the Philippines.

It is imperative that hunting prohibition for this species is enforced until research has been done to identify hunting impacts on population sizes and sustainable harvest levels. Conservation capacity-building, education and awareness within local communities and among local government units and non-profits are also essential to imparting the risks that this species faces and encouraging conservation management.

Although some captive breeding facilities exist, it is unclear if these are sufficient for re-enforcing wild populations.