“They bring bad luck.” “They get stuck in your hair!” Let's face it: bats have a bad reputation.
And vampire bats have the worst reputation of all – as creepy, bloodthirsty creatures that are always hunting people to feed on them.
They are actually intriguing creatures that care about each other and 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 annually on the more than 3,000-year-old ruins of the Lamanai Archaeological Site for the two-week Bat Field Study, during which 70 to 80 scientists study most of the 45 species found there.
In the documentary Empire of the BatsAnthony Morgan joins Bataton to find out what we can learn from these furry fliers.
The smallest “bloodsuckers”
According to the British Bat Conservation Trust, it is estimated that 1500 species of batswhich represents about 20 percent of all mammal species on Earth. But among them, only three types can be called vampire bats. These creatures, which live in the tropics of Central and South America, are “blood-eaters,” meaning they feed on the blood of other animals.
White-winged vampire bat (Diaemus Yoongi) and a hairy vampire bat (Diphylla ecautata) They usually stick to forests, feeding on birds, reptiles and other animals they can find.
However, the common vampire bat (Desmod round) often found in agricultural areas, drinks 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.
They are between seven and nine centimeters long, but that doesn't stop them from performing impressive feats.
The average vampire has an incredible trick up his sleeve… er, wings. He can jump. In fact, these tiny creatures are capable of jumping a meter or more off the ground to take off.
Moreover, they have an intriguing walking style.
Little ninja bats
IN Empire of the Bats, Morgan speaks with Kenneth Welch of the University of Toronto, who studies animal movement. He shows Morgan an incredible video of a vampire bat walking on a treadmill. “They do this cool sideways walk,” Welch says in the documentary. “We think they may be circling their prey with this lateral movement.”
Vampire bats get a bad rap, but they are actually intriguing creatures that care for each other and are full of surprises. For example, did you know that vampire bats can walk on all fours? They can even run! Watch Empire of the Bat on CBC Gem.
As Morgan aptly joked in the video above, vampire bats are like little ninjas, circling their prey until they can get close enough without being noticed.
Although they use echolocation to find their way while flying, they have heat sensors around their faces that help them zero in on prey by identifying an exposed area of skin with an easily accessible blood vessel near the surface.
Once in place, they make a small cut with their incredibly sharp incisors and lick up the blood that flows out. Their saliva prevents wound clotting thanks to a powerful anticoagulant that has even been studied for use in people who have had strokes.
Vampires with hearts?
Behind its creepy but cool feeding tactics, the vampire bat can actually be quite cute. Unlike other baby bats, which are weaned over several weeks, baby vampires stay with their mother for months until they can feed on their own. Mothers and their young live in groups, and if one person in the group has a bad night of hunting, the other members of the group will share food with him so that they do not go hungry.
Look Empire of the Bats on the CBC Gem and The Nature of Things YouTube channel.
