The Conversation: Vampire Bats – Look Beyond the Fangs and Blood to See Animal Friendships and Unique Adaptations

You can probably picture a vampire: pale, sharply fanged undead sucker of blood, deterred only by sunlight, religious paraphernalia and garlic. They're gnarly creatures, often favorite subjects for movies or books. Luckily, they're only imaginary … or are they?

There are real vampires in the world of bats. Out of more than 1,400 currently described bat species, three are known to feed on blood exclusively.

Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Sebastian Stockmaier is a behavioral ecologist. Recently he and his colleagues studied how the blood-feeding lifestyle of vampire bats influences their social interactions and relationships. Read about their findings at The Conversation.

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