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#3 -- When Bats Take Wing

By Jessika Toothman
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vampire bat

Not only are vampire bats members of the only group of mammals that can fly, they also have the further peculiarity of being the only mammals that feed on blood alone.

Vampire bats love to feast on larger mammals like horses, cattle, pigs and even humans from time to time. The hunt begins in the evening, when the vampire bats leave their roosts and take flight in search of potential targets. Once they've locked on to their prey using heat sensors and echolocation, they wing to the ground and approach on foot. After a small, typically imperceptible chomp, the bats begin to lap up the fresh blood flowing from their sleeping victims. An anticoagulant in their saliva means they can continue to feed for up to 30 minutes.

>> NEXT: #2: When Coyotes Call 



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