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The bat is a mammal. It is the only mammal on Earth that can fly. There are many species of bats, and the most unique are the vampire bats. They are so unique because the sole source of food for adults is blood, a dietary trait called hematophagy. The three vampire bat species are: the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus), the hairy-legged vampire bat (Diphylla ecaudata), and the white-winged vampire bat (Diaemus youngi).
Vampire bats are native to Mexico and South America, from Brazil, to Chile and Argentina. They live in colonies, from 100 to more than 1000 animals, in dark places like natural caves, man made structures or hallow trees.
Vampire bats, like all other bats, sleep during the day and hunt and feed during the night. They do not swoop out of the sky to land on their prey! Instead, they land on the ground and crawl before they strike. They have some special thermo receptors on their nose that allow them to pinpoint the spot on the prey's body where the blood is closest to the skin.
These species of bats possess very sharp teeth that they use to break the skin of their victims. Through the incision they suck the blood, using their tongue. They have a special compound in their saliva that prevents the blood from clotting during feeding. Although the amount of blood sucked by the vampire bats is not enough to hurt the victims, the bites may become deadly because the bats carry diseases.
Vampire bats occasionally attack humans, but the incidents are rare. In general, their favorite prey is sleeping horses and cattle. If the prey has hairy skin, the bats use their canine teeth to shear the hairs away and create a clear surface for feeding.
Vampire bats always created fear, because of their blood feeding routine; therefore some cultures associated them with the dark side, while folklore throughout the world has associated bats with the souls of the dead and with demons. Fiction books and movies feature vampires in the form of humans, preying on humans, like Dracula.
Vampire bats are native to Mexico and South America, from Brazil, to Chile and Argentina. They live in colonies, from 100 to more than 1000 animals, in dark places like natural caves, man made structures or hallow trees.
Vampire bats, like all other bats, sleep during the day and hunt and feed during the night. They do not swoop out of the sky to land on their prey! Instead, they land on the ground and crawl before they strike. They have some special thermo receptors on their nose that allow them to pinpoint the spot on the prey's body where the blood is closest to the skin.
These species of bats possess very sharp teeth that they use to break the skin of their victims. Through the incision they suck the blood, using their tongue. They have a special compound in their saliva that prevents the blood from clotting during feeding. Although the amount of blood sucked by the vampire bats is not enough to hurt the victims, the bites may become deadly because the bats carry diseases.
Vampire bats occasionally attack humans, but the incidents are rare. In general, their favorite prey is sleeping horses and cattle. If the prey has hairy skin, the bats use their canine teeth to shear the hairs away and create a clear surface for feeding.
Vampire bats always created fear, because of their blood feeding routine; therefore some cultures associated them with the dark side, while folklore throughout the world has associated bats with the souls of the dead and with demons. Fiction books and movies feature vampires in the form of humans, preying on humans, like Dracula.
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