Vampire bat is mainly found in Central and South America. Supported fictional story about Count Dracula, a character in the novel by Bram Stoker, vampire bats are almost always depicted as a blood-sucking monsters.

Vampire bats feed on blood indeed, but far from the physical form depicted in fiction and film. This animal no bigger than mice.

There are only three species of bats that have a habit of eating blood: the vampire bat Desmodus rotundus or ordinary, Diphylla ecuada or vampire bat hairy legs, and Diaemus youngi or white-winged vampire bat.

All of these species live in the continental US, precisely in the area of ​​Mexico, Chile, Brazil, and Argentina.

Vampire bats are the most commonly found. The bats suck the blood of various animals such as cattle, birds, horses, pigs, donkeys, goats, and so forth.

1. Physical Form

The muzzle of the vampire bat is short, flat, and do not have a nose leaf.

There are infrared sensors in the nose to help locate blood vessels close to the skin.

Vampire bat has a short tail membrane and small ears.

The animal's body is hairy and has a wing which is essentially an extension of the fingers covered by thin skin.

Measuring 20 cm wingspan to body size is only as big as a human thumb.

Their legs are very weak, so it is not capable of running properly.

This creature has a strong chest muscles that are used in conjunction with his feet to launch himself into the air as far as 4 meters.

Once airborne, the bat wing immediately take over the task to fly.

2. Eating Habits

Vampire bats eat only when it is dark. They use echolocation, sound, and smell to find prey.

Bats fly close to the ground at a height of about one meter. Once find prey, they use a special heat sensors in the nose to locate veins close to the skin.

These animals have a sharp front teeth used for cutting into the skin. Because food is a liquid, the other teeth are not evolving like any other bat species.

Saliva is one of the most important elements of vampire bats used during meals. 

Their saliva contains a number of substances that help prevent blood clots. One anticoagulant (anti-clotting agent) contained in the saliva of the vampire bat is called Draculin.

Other material contained in the saliva of the animal is able to prevent red blood cells from sticking together, as well as other substances that can prevent an injured blood vessel closes.

When the injury occurs, the bats then uses his tongue to lick the blood, so not a lot of people suck as expected.

Vampire bats need 2 tablespoons of blood per day as their food.

3. Digestive System Vampire Bats

Although the average weight of the vampire bat is only about 40 grams, they can drink more than 20 grams of blood in 20 minutes.

This is of course troublesome because of the additional weight of 20 grams of fresh blood will make the vampire difficulty flying.

To overcome this problem, the digestive system vampire bats have adapted to digest food quickly.

Blood plasma which has no nutritional value quickly absorbed by the lining of the stomach, then taken to the kidney, and then excreted through the urine.

The urine disposal process can take place within 2 minutes after the bats eat.

After the meal, vampire bats will return perch and spend the rest of the night to digest food.

However, new problems arise. Because basically is a protein, the blood produces a large amount of urea that must be removed.

Therefore, urinary system aided bats hormone that makes the urine very concentrated or containing less water and more urea.

4. Unique Social Behavior

Vampire bats should always get the blood as a food source. Fasting for more than three nights will make the physical condition of the bat dropped sharply.

This is in contrast to other blood-eating animals are like leeches and ticks that can last for days or even months without eating.

Vampire bats are a warm-blooded animal requires substantial energy to maintain body temperature so that if it does not get the food will soon die.

This is one reason the vampire bat is not found in cold regions.

Therefore, the vampire bat developed a unique social behavioral patterns, where the bats returned from hunting vomited some blood and give it to the hungry bat.