Large-bodied colony forming fruit bats are intensely hunted across West Africa. In Nigeria, offtake levels can reach 4,000 individuals of the Egyptian Fruit bat per hunting effort. Such intense hunting may lead to the breakdown and loss of ecosystem services that are often critical for local livelihoods i.e., Non-timber forest products. We're working to unravel the socio-ecological dimensions of bat meat hunting and consumption in Nigeria. This will inform evidence-based conservation of fruit bats and the vital ecosystem services they provide.