Facts and Features of Central and South American Vampire Bat

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Phyllostomidae
Scientific Name: Desmodontinae
Common name: Vampire Bat


Classification and evolution of Central and South American Vampire Bat

The vampire bat is a small bat species ,habitats in  tropical regions of Central and South America.There are three sub ​​- species of vampire bat, all of which are in a genus of its own despite their similarities.The common vampire bat , Hairy- Legged vampire Bat and White Vampire Bat - with wings are closely related and have the same eating habits only because they are the only mammals known to feed exclusively on blood.Eventually, vampire bats are perfectly adapted to the consumption of their only source of food ,with a light heat sensor at end of the nose to detect when blood is flowing hot closest to the skin.

Anatomy and appearance of Central and South American Vampire Bat

The vampire bat is  a small animal and his body rarely grows larger than the size of a human thumb .It's wings are long  like bone of fingers that are covered by a thin layer of skin, with a thumb claw peeking out the front and used for better grip when climbing around its host.Vampire bats have dark brown to gray furry bodies with a lighter underside and strong limbs that allow them to easily  crawl on the floor. As with other bats ,vampire bats use echolocation to determine their environment.While flying  they produce high-pitched sounds that bounce off objects in the area, and  this bounced -back sound  allows the bat to find out where the things around (which is so acute that can not be heard by people ) .

Distribution and Habitat of Central and South American Vampire Bat

The vampire bat is found throughout the continent of South America from Mexico to the tip of Argentina . Vampire bats are found in both tropical and subtropical regions and also can habitat on wet and dry climates. Many bats are nocturnal and also vampire bat ,spending daylight hours resting in hollow trees ,caves  mines and even abandoned buildings in colonies that may be more than 1,000.Although other species of bats are known to nest in the same places as the vampires , it is believed that the other species tend to keep distance between them to avoid the conflict .

Lifestyle of Central and South American Vampire Bat 

After sleeping  all day in darkness,vampire bats roams when the moon appears in order to find diet.Despite being solid and strong fliers, the design of their arms and legs means they can also move into the ground with surprising speed.Vampire bats flies around a meter above the ground in search of a warm-blooded animal , and once they  found, they land over it.The vampire bat usually creeps up sleeping victim , before biting and feeding on the  flowing blood .Vampire bats tend to be solitary hunters, but roost together in colonies that typically contain about 100 bats, and consisting of alpha males and their harems of about 6 females and their babies.

Reproduction and Life Cycles of Central and South American Vampire Bat

Vampire Bats mate the whole year and is known to have a very long gestation period compared to other species. After 3 to 4 months, the female vampire bat gives a single baby and she cares until weaned at between 3 and 5 months old (babies born in captivity bats are weaned significantly later, when they are 9 months age). Like other mammals, the young vampire bats feed on their mother 's milk until they are old enough to consume adult diet and an adult weight of around one year.The female vampire bats are very careful like a mother, known caring and adopt orphans from the colony.The life span of Vampire bat can grow up to 12 years in the wild , though captive individuals have been known to almost reach an age of 20 years.

Diet and Prey of Central and South American Vampire Bat

Vampire Bats use echolocation ,sound and smell to find their prey which can be up to 10,000 times the size of this small predator, and that is why vampire bats have evolved to take some precautions when eating. First, they never land on their prey ,but the interior of the earth on the floor and crawl around to it which are able to detect the veins near the skin surface with precision  thanks to its nose with sensor heat .Vampire bats uses its  sharp teeths , then vampire bat bites its host, immediately jump back in case the animal is awake. Contrary to popular belief , vampire bats do not suck blood from their victims  but lap inside using tongue as it flows from the wound. Chemicals in vampire bat saliva  stop blood clotting and numb the area of ​​skin around the bite to prevent the guest feel anything.

Predators and threats of Central and South American Vampire Bat

Despite being a unique and versatile predator itself  ,the vampire is still prey to other animals , it can be hunted  in the air as he goes hunting at night.Large birds such as hawks and eagles are the most common predators of vampire bat and also snakes hunting bats in their dark caverns while they sleep during the day. Human beings are the greatest threats  mainly farmers who are known to poison bats usually feed their livestock.These poisons (known as vampiricides ) are specially designed to spread throughout the colony through social grooming , killing hundreds of them at once .

Interesting Facts and Features of Central and South American Vampire Bat

Vampires feed exclusively on warm-blooded animals ,drink one teaspoon ( 25 ml ) of blood for every 30 minutes.Once having feasted on their host but then bats are so swollen that they can barely fly with their weight almost be doubled. It is said that in just one year  a colony of medium sized vampire bat can drink the blood of 25 cows , but their metabolism is so fast you have to feed every two days to ensure their survival (blood is very nutritious containing high amounts of water ) .About 20 teeth in the mouth of the Bat are redundant due to their liquid diet , in addition to the pair of sharp incisors at the front used for biting.

Relationship with humans of Central and South American Vampire Bat

The vampire bat is one of the few species of bats are considered a pest by humans .Farmers in particular have a very strained relationship with these flying mammals that feed their cows at night .Although the amount of blood drawn by the stick is minimal and does not harm the animal, but  biting  can cause problems to become diseased .Farmers have not only tried to poison entire colonies , but also known to destroy their daytime lairs using dynamite , often eliminating thousands vampire bat, and a number of other species. Tales fiction vampire bats and their feeding habits also increased excessively exaggerated superstition about them.

Conservation Status  of Central and South American Vampire Bat

The  three subspecies have been listed as Least Concern for extinction in the wild in the immediate future due to the fact that are widespread and feed on a variety of warm-blooded animals Deforestation of their natural habitat , along with persistent human efforts to eradicate colonies  in turn however, have led to the decline of the population in some areas. Scientists have also discovered that while the anticoagulant found in bat saliva , is more effective in preventing blood clotting any medication , so it could have significant positive implications for patients of heart attacks.