Vampire Bat Information
Vampire bats are nocturnal, flying mammals that feed on blood. They are seen mainly in Mexico and Latin America. Like all animals, they have a purpose in our ecosystem, but due to their feeding habits and nocturnal presence, they have inspired all sorts of horror stories that are not true.
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Background
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Vampire bats usually feed on the blood of cows and horses. If those are unavailable, they will feed on the blood of anything else, including humans. With an average life span of about nine years, they usually live in caves in colonies of a hundred or more. During the day, they sleep hanging upside down from the ceiling in dark caves, and at night, they hunt for blood. A colony of 100 bats can drink the blood of 25 cows in a year.
Features
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Common vampire bats are small, around 2.75 inches to 3.5 inches, with a wing span of about eight to nine inches. Their wings have well-developed thumbs for gripping. Their strong legs enable them to crawl, hop and jump on the ground. Their bodies have brown or gray fur that is lighter on their belly. They have large eyes, pointed ears and no tail. Blunt noses with large nostrils give them an acute sense of smell, and sharp canine and incisor teeth give them their bite. Females are a little larger than males.
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Types
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Three species of vampire bats exist in the order Chiroptera. The Desmodus Rotundus is the common brown bat. The Diaemus youngi is distinguished by its white wings. The Diphylla Ecaudate is distinguished by its hairy legs.
Geography
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Vampire bats are seen mainly in Mexico and Central and South America. They live in habitats ranging from humid and tropical to dry. Besides caves, they are found in other dark, enclosed areas, such as tree hollows, abandoned wells and buildings, and mine shafts.
Significance
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Like all animals, all bats, including vampire bats, have an ecological purpose. Like spiders, they keep the insect population in check by eating bugs. Like bees and other pollinators, they spread pollen when they feed on nectar. They also drop seeds all over tropical forests, supplying food for other animals.
Misconceptions
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Vampire bats usually bite the toes of their prey, not the throat. They do not suck blood, but lap it up when it spouts from the bite area. Contrary to popular belief, vampire bats--bats in general, for that matter--are no more prone to carrying and transmitting rabies than any other mammals, such as coyotes, cats, dogs, raccoons, etc. Bats actually catch rabies far less often than other animals. Less than 0.5 percent of all bats contract the disease. People are known to contract the disease mostly from bats because of bad handling habits. Bats, like all wild animals, should not be handled, especially if they are on the ground, because that usually means they are sick. They can be kept away with precautions as simple as screens over openings because they do not tear or dig their way into enclosures.
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