Vampire Bats

Vampire bats are a type of bat who are defined by a dietary habit known as hematophagy. In other words, a vampire bat's sole source of food is blood. With a diet of only blood, vampire bats are the only mammals of their kind.National Geographic: Common Vampire Bat Normally in numbers under 100, vampire bats live in colonies. Vampire bats tend to develop at a slower pace than most other types of bats.World Wildlife: Adopt a Vampire Bat

In February of 2009, Nicaragua experienced a surge of vampire bat attacks. So far, no rabies have been reported.Time Magazine: Nicaragua's Vampire Problem (February 27, 2009)

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Chiroptera
• Family: Phyllostomidae
• Subfamily: Desmodontinae

In Venezuela, over 38 people have been killed by vampire bat attacks. While the precise reason why the vampire bats have killed so many people is unknown, researchers believe they spread rabies, which consequently caused the deaths.Times Online: Vampire bats kill 38 Warao tribes people in Venezuela (August 12, 2008)