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Tiny but deadly - the thumb sized terror

13 April 2012
  • The vampire bat (desmodus rotundus) has a wingspan of about 8in and a body the size of an adult's thumb
  • It uses heat sensors in its nose to find veins close to the skin of its prey
  • Instead of 'sucking' blood, it makes a small incision with its sharp front teeth and laps up the blood with its tongue
  • Vampire bats have fewer teeth than other bats because they do not chew their food
  • Their saliva is better at preventing blood from clotting than any medicine. It is thought they could one day help prevent heart attacks and strokes
  • The bats can live for up to nine years in the wild and up to 20 years in captivity

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