Species · GBIF taxon 2433298
Common Vampire Bat
Desmodus rotundusAlso known as Vampire Bat
Common vampire bats are highly specialized, agile mammals that walk, run, and hop along the ground to approach sleeping livestock. They use infrared receptors on their nose-leaf to locate warm blood vessels close to the skin before making a painless incision with razor-sharp incisors. Within their roosts, these bats form tight-knit social bonds, sharing regurgitated blood meals with roost-mates that failed to feed.
NocturnalMammalSocial
- diet
- Blood (primarily mammalian)
- family
- Phyllostomidae
- threats
- Habitat destruction, roost disturbance, and human persecution due to rabies concerns
- life Span
- Up to 12 years in the wild
LC
Can carry rabies and bite defensively; never handle wild bats or sleep exposed in their range.
Can transmit rabies through bites, and their saliva contains anticoagulants that prevent blood clotting.
Avoid entering roosting caves and never touch a grounded bat; seek immediate medical attention if bitten.- Roost awareness: Avoid entering dark caves, hollow trees, or abandoned wells where colonies sleep during the day.
- Secure dwellings: Use screens and netting in tropical regions to prevent bats from entering sleeping quarters at night.
- Report sightings: Contact local wildlife or health authorities if you find a bat acting strangely in daylight.