Vampires are monsters in books and movies. Stories say that they drink blood. But what about vampire bats? Do they drink blood too?

They do! They drink blood from cows, horses, pigs, and birds. That is how they got their name.

Vampire bats eat at night. They can sense other animals breathing. They are so light that the animals don’t notice them. They can drink blood for 30 minutes without the animals knowing they are there.

Drinking the blood of animals doesn’t hurt the animals. But not drinking blood will hurt the vampire bats. They can only survive for two days without a drink of blood.

Vampire bats are the only bats that can walk, run, and jump. These skills help them hunt. They also have heat sensors on their noses. The sensors help them know the best place to bite their animal prey.

Vampire bats live in Mexico and Central and South America. Their bodies are 3-4 inches. Their wingspan is 7 inches.

Do vampire bats bite humans? It is very rare. They are not nearly as scary as vampires in stories. If you have to meet one or the other, chose a vampire bat!