{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "vampire-bat",
  "name": "Vampire Bat",
  "scientificName": "Desmodus rotundus",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The vampire bat is a small Latin American bat and the only mammal that feeds entirely on blood. It makes a painless bite, laps blood kept flowing by anticoagulant saliva, and shares food with roost-mates that miss a meal. Common vampire bats usually live around 9 to 12 years.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Chiroptera",
    "family": "Phyllostomidae",
    "genus": "Desmodus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.04,
    "lengthM": 0.09,
    "topSpeedKmh": 40,
    "lifespanYears": 12
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Desmodus rotundus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Sanguivore (blood)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Caves and tree hollows in the tropics"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "9–12 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "25–40 g (0.9–1.4 oz)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Agile flier; can also run on the ground"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Tropics and subtropics of Latin America, from Mexico through Central America to South America.",
    "continents": [
      "South America",
      "North America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Desmodus rotundus.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Desmodus%20rotundus&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Desmodus rotundus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Desmodus_rotundus/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Vampire Bat.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_vampire_bat"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/vampire-bat/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/vampire-bat/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}