The Vampire Bats Of Mexico

In classic vampire films, it's always the same: the protagonists believe that they

have locked themselves safely in a room, and settle in for the long night. But once they have fallen asleep, a bat flies in through the open window - and transforms back into the monster. It's such a strong association for many people that most bats are now seen as spooky, frightening bloodsuckers. While most of the order Chiroptera just want to find a few juicy moths to nibble on each night, there is a subfamily of leaf-nosed creatures who feed on blood and are the world's only parasitic mammals. They can be found all throughout Central America, including Mexico.

The vampire bats are called, appropriately enough, 'Desmodontinae'. There are three genii in this group, each with one species, and all of them are hematophagic: the blood of other living things is their main food source. All three share the similar characteristics of having a short muzzle, small ears, and specialized front teeth which are used to cut open flesh. These animals are incredibly well-evolved to hunt for their prized foodstuff and it's been found that the auditory center of their brain is adapted to detect the regular, steady breathing of sleeping animals, which are their primary prey. Strangely, these animals (unlike other Chiroptera which are unable to move on land) can run for brief periods of time.

The most widely seen species is the Common Vampire Bat, seen all over Central and South America. They feed on mammals like tapir in the wild, but prefer domesticated animals like horses and cattle, making them very annoying to ranchers. They hunt during the darkest part of the night and once they've found their prey, they will use their sharp teeth to pierce the skin, peeling away a small flap to expose the vessels underneath. Then, with their specialized grooved tongue, they lick away the blood; clotting is prevented by an anticoagulant in their saliva.

The Common species grooms one another, shares food and is extremely social, exhibiting many cooperative behaviors. The males will have whole harems of mates, which they fiercely defend. They also show alloparenting; the females will adopt orphaned babies and will share the duties of raising the young with other females. It is a misconception that all Vampire Bats carry rabies; it's estimated that only about half of one percent have it. Nonetheless, a bite from a bat should always be examined by a doctor, just in case.

They have similar behaviors to the Common, but the other two species are not as widely located. The Hairy-legged Vampire Bat, has quite good eyesight but poor echolocation abilities, likes the blood of birds over that of mammals, and is mostly found in South America. It is also more solitary, and does not form the same complex social groups as its cousin. The third variety, the White-Winged, is found in Mexico and Argentina. A very accomplished climber of trees, it also enjoys avian prey. They are also more docile and very vocal.

by: Robert Nickel

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