It’s nicknamed the “king of fruits” in Southeast Asia, where the durian is a popular treat. Now scientists are learning the famously stinky delicacy has an important and surprising friend in nature: the island flying fox, a large species of bat.

Flying foxes get a bad rap for damaging crops. But footage from camera traps in Malaysia, documented in a study recently published in the journal Ecology and Evolution, show that flying foxes are actually important pollinators of the commercially valuable food.

A spiky tropical fruit known for its pungent odor and unique taste, durian (Durio zibethinus) is a valuable crop in countries such as Malaysia and Thailand, though its stench makes it off-limits in some places.

“Research like this on the