Vampire bats are ‘little ninjas’ that are actually quite cute
“They bring bad luck.” “They get stuck in your hair!” Let’s face it: bats get a bad rap.
And vampire bats have the worst reputation – as creepy, bloodthirsty creatures that are always on the lookout for humans to eat.
In fact, they are interesting creatures who care about each other, and they are full of surprises. For example, did you know that vampire bats can walk on all fours? They can even run!
In the heart of Belize, bat scientists descend upon the more than 3,000-year-old Maya ruins of the Lamanai Archaeological Reserve each year for a “bat-a-thon,” a two-week field study where 70 to 80 scientists study most of the 45 species that live there.
in the documentary kingdom of batsAnthony Morgan joins the Bat-a-thon to find out what we can learn from these lovable travelers.
The smallest ‘bloodsuckers’
According to the UK’s Bat Conservation Trust, there is an estimate 1,500 species of batsWhich is about 20 percent of all mammal species on Earth. But among them, only three types qualify as vampire bats. These creatures, found in the tropical regions of Central and South America, are “sanguivorous,” meaning they drink the blood of other animals.
white winged vampire bat ,diamus youngi, and hairy-legged vampire bats (Diphila acudata, Generally live in forests, eating birds, reptiles and other animals they can find.
However, the common vampire bat (desmodus rotundus) is often found in agricultural areas, drinking the blood of farm animals – pigs, chickens and cows. Because of this, they are sometimes considered a nuisance to local farmers as they can spread rabies and cause wounds to animals that can become infected.
At seven to nine centimeters in length, they are small, but that doesn’t stop them from performing some impressive feats.
The common vampire has one incredible trick up his sleeve… er, wings. it jumpIn fact, these small creatures are capable of jumping a meter or more off the ground in order to take flight.
Furthermore, they have an interesting way of walking.
little bats ninjas
In kingdom of bats, Morgan talks with Kenneth Welch at the University of Toronto, who studies how animals move. He shows Morgan an incredible video of a vampire bat running on a treadmill. “They run really spectacular sideways,” Welch says in the documentary. “We think what they’re doing with that sideways motion is probably circling around their prey.”
Vampire bats have a bad reputation but in reality, they are interesting creatures that take care of each other, and they are full of surprises. For example, did you know that vampire bats can walk on all fours? They can even run! Watch Kingdom of the Bat on CBC Gem.
As Morgan aptly quips in the clip above, vampire bats are like little ninjas, circling their prey until they get close enough without being detected.
Although they use echolocation to find their way while flying, they have heat sensors around their faces that help them focus on their prey, pinpointing an exposed patch of skin with an easily accessible blood vessel near the surface.
Once in position, they use their incredibly sharp incisors to make a small incision and lick up the blood that comes out of it. Their saliva prevents wounds from clotting due to a strong anticoagulant, which has also been studied for use in human stroke patients.
Vampires with hearts?
Behind their creepy but cool feeding tactics, vampire bats can actually be quite sweet. Unlike other bat babies, which are weaned within a few weeks, little vampires will stay with their mother for months until they learn to feed independently. Mothers and their young roost in groups, and if one person in the group has an unlucky night of hunting, other members will share their food with them so they do not starve.
Watch kingdom of bats On the CBC Gem and The Nature of Things YouTube channel.
