Real-Life Vampires Hunt with Stealth | National Geographic

so here we’re seeing the vampire bat

so here we’re seeing the vampire bat displaying really how it laps blood out

displaying really how it laps blood out

displaying really how it laps blood out of the animal that it’s feeding on you

of the animal that it’s feeding on you

of the animal that it’s feeding on you can see some key features like how the

can see some key features like how the

can see some key features like how the tongue really has these cool grooves

tongue really has these cool grooves

tongue really has these cool grooves that allow the blood to flow back the

that allow the blood to flow back the

that allow the blood to flow back the tongue also excretes and anticoagulant

tongue also excretes and anticoagulant

tongue also excretes and anticoagulant which really keeps the blood flowing so

which really keeps the blood flowing so

which really keeps the blood flowing so the way the vampire bat feeds is not by

the way the vampire bat feeds is not by

the way the vampire bat feeds is not by sucking blood through its big canine

sucking blood through its big canine

sucking blood through its big canine teeth but rather making a small divot

teeth but rather making a small divot

teeth but rather making a small divot into the flesh of the animal and then

into the flesh of the animal and then

into the flesh of the animal and then lapping it up with its tongue and like

lapping it up with its tongue and like

lapping it up with its tongue and like their teeth are so tiny and sharp that

their teeth are so tiny and sharp that

their teeth are so tiny and sharp that you barely feel it it’s like a needle

you barely feel it it’s like a needle

you barely feel it it’s like a needle prick vampire bats often wait to forage

prick vampire bats often wait to forage

prick vampire bats often wait to forage and tell the night is completely dark so

and tell the night is completely dark so

and tell the night is completely dark so that’s often after the moon has

that’s often after the moon has

that’s often after the moon has disappeared from the sky you can see

disappeared from the sky you can see

disappeared from the sky you can see these bats are really good fliers but

these bats are really good fliers but

these bats are really good fliers but they’re also incredibly good on the

they’re also incredibly good on the

they’re also incredibly good on the ground and this is a really rare trait

ground and this is a really rare trait

ground and this is a really rare trait for a bat species to be able to walk on

for a bat species to be able to walk on

for a bat species to be able to walk on the ground you can hop and run and this

the ground you can hop and run and this

the ground you can hop and run and this provides a really nice way for the bats

provides a really nice way for the bats

provides a really nice way for the bats to avoid getting squashed or getting

to avoid getting squashed or getting

to avoid getting squashed or getting captured by the animals that they’re

captured by the animals that they’re

captured by the animals that they’re trying to feed on so you can see a

trying to feed on so you can see a

trying to feed on so you can see a really stealthy stalking up to the

really stealthy stalking up to the

really stealthy stalking up to the animal as well as hopping around

animal as well as hopping around

animal as well as hopping around and while the bats doing that part of

and while the bats doing that part of

and while the bats doing that part of what it may be doing is finding the

what it may be doing is finding the

what it may be doing is finding the right place to bite so we can either hop

right place to bite so we can either hop

right place to bite so we can either hop up to the animal or can fly directly

up to the animal or can fly directly

up to the animal or can fly directly onto the animal landing off in the case

onto the animal landing off in the case

onto the animal landing off in the case of a cow it’ll land on the back the bat

of a cow it’ll land on the back the bat

of a cow it’ll land on the back the bat will then use some infrared sensors

will then use some infrared sensors

will then use some infrared sensors basally try and find the part of the

basally try and find the part of the

basally try and find the part of the animal where the blood is flowing most

animal where the blood is flowing most

animal where the blood is flowing most close to the skin and that’s the site

close to the skin and that’s the site

close to the skin and that’s the site that it’ll use to make that initial bite

that it’ll use to make that initial bite

that it’ll use to make that initial bite wound and then lap up the blood

wound and then lap up the blood

cows obviously feel the bat landing and

cows obviously feel the bat landing and like try to even get get the bat off of

like try to even get get the bat off of

like try to even get get the bat off of them but eventually the cow gives up and

them but eventually the cow gives up and

them but eventually the cow gives up and the bats are able to return the spot

the bats are able to return the spot

the bats are able to return the spot where they wanted to feed at least it’s

where they wanted to feed at least it’s

where they wanted to feed at least it’s not bothered enough that it continues to

not bothered enough that it continues to

not bothered enough that it continues to struggle against the bat there is

struggle against the bat there is

struggle against the bat there is something a little bit creepy about a

something a little bit creepy about a

something a little bit creepy about a mammal that lives exclusively on blood

mammal that lives exclusively on blood

mammal that lives exclusively on blood and the a lot of the behaviors that you

and the a lot of the behaviors that you

and the a lot of the behaviors that you see in a vampire about things like

see in a vampire about things like

see in a vampire about things like creeping around and having that really

creeping around and having that really

creeping around and having that really long tongue and triangular teeth all of

long tongue and triangular teeth all of

long tongue and triangular teeth all of that fits into the

that fits into the

that fits into the kind of Dracula vampire stereotype so it

kind of Dracula vampire stereotype so it

kind of Dracula vampire stereotype so it is a in some ways a fair

is a in some ways a fair

is a in some ways a fair characterization but it’s also important

characterization but it’s also important

characterization but it’s also important to know these are totally fascinating

to know these are totally fascinating

to know these are totally fascinating animals that are completely and

animals that are completely and

animals that are completely and perfectly adapted to their lifestyle of

perfectly adapted to their lifestyle of

perfectly adapted to their lifestyle of feeding just on blood