Details
Desmodus rotundus
The common vampire bat is a small Neotropical bat that feeds on blood. At night it approaches mammals or birds and laps blood from a shallow wound.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It lives in Neotropical forest and grassland. Caves, hollow trees, and buildings serve as roosts, with foraging over areas used by livestock and wild animals.
Length 7-9 cm; weight 25-57 g. A short face, sharp incisors, heat-sensing nose region, and strong forelimbs for ground movement are distinctive. Short wings give maneuverability.
Nocturnal and colonial, it roosts in social groups. Grooming is common, and successful bats may regurgitate blood meals to feed hungry roost mates.
A carnivore, it feeds on the blood of mammals and birds. It makes a shallow cut and laps blood while anticoagulants in saliva keep it flowing.
Females usually bear a single pup and nurse it in the roost. Young are protected within the colony until they can fly and forage.
It is listed as Least Concern. Because it can transmit rabies, it matters in livestock management, but it is also notable for complex social care.
