# Vampire Bat (*Desmodus rotundus*)

> 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.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Tropics and subtropics of Latin America, from Mexico through Central America to South America.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/vampire-bat/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Chiroptera
- **Family:** Phyllostomidae
- **Genus:** Desmodus

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Desmodus rotundus |
| Diet | Sanguivore (blood) |
| Habitat | Caves and tree hollows in the tropics |
| Lifespan | 9–12 years in the wild |
| Weight | 25–40 g (0.9–1.4 oz) |
| Top speed | Agile flier; can also run on the ground |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## A diet of blood

Vampire bats feed only on blood, usually from sleeping livestock and other large animals. Heat sensors on the nose help them find a spot where blood flows close to the skin, and razor-sharp teeth make a small, painless cut. Their saliva contains an anticoagulant that keeps the wound bleeding while they lap, not suck.

## Sharing and friendship

Vampire bats are remarkably social. A bat that fails to feed will starve within a couple of nights, so well-fed roost-mates regurgitate blood to share with hungry companions. They form long-term bonds and remember which individuals have helped them before.

## Built to move

Unusually for bats, vampire bats are agile on the ground and can run, hop, and leap, which helps them approach prey and take off again afterward. They roost by day in dark caves, hollow trees, and old buildings, often in large colonies.

## Vampire bats and people

Vampire bats are not endangered, but they matter to human health because they can transmit rabies to livestock and, rarely, to people. Vaccinating animals and people at risk is more effective than killing bats, which can actually spread the disease further.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do vampire bats really drink blood?

Yes. Vampire bats are the only mammals that feed entirely on blood, usually from sleeping livestock. They lap the blood from a small cut rather than sucking it.

### Is a vampire bat's bite dangerous?

The bite itself is tiny and painless, but vampire bats can carry rabies, so any bite from a wild bat should be taken seriously and checked by a doctor.

### Do vampire bats share food?

Yes. Vampire bats regurgitate blood to feed roost-mates that did not eat, and they form lasting bonds with the individuals who help them.

### Where do vampire bats live?

Vampire bats live in the tropics and subtropics of Latin America, roosting in caves, hollow trees, and old buildings, often in colonies.

### How much blood does a vampire bat drink?

A vampire bat drinks about a tablespoon of blood per night, roughly half its body weight, over a feeding session lasting many minutes.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Desmodus rotundus.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Desmodus%20rotundus&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Desmodus rotundus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Desmodus_rotundus/)
- [Wikipedia — Vampire Bat.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_vampire_bat)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/vampire-bat/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.