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Article: ZOO UPDATE: VAMPIRE BAT.(Weekend)
- Article from:
- The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY)
- Article date:
- October 28, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of The Herald Co. by the Gale Group, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The white-winged vampire bat resides in the Rainforest Area of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo.
These small, nocturnal mammals may conjure up images of zombies and Count Dracula, but they are relatively harmless to humans.
Because of their shy nature, these vampire bats only choose to feed on resting animals. Unlike the other species of vampire bats, white-winged vampire bats survive almost exclusively on bird blood and can eat up to 100 percent of their weight daily.
The bats' bodies are unable to make fat or store energy, so they must feed regularly. Vampire bats do not suck blood when they feed. Instead, they make a clean cut with their blade-like ...