Vampire bat starts to feed on human blood in Pernambuco
The feeding habits of furry-legged vampire bats are changing
Biologist Enrico Bernard, from the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), made two great discoveries. One of them was to find a colony of rare bats in a cave in the Catimbau National Park, in Pernambuco (hairy-legged vampire bats); and the other was to discover the eating habits of these animals, since they are blood-fire beings (they feed on blood) and in that area they were in there were not so many food options.
To find out what the bats were feeding on, the biologist analyzed the feces of the animals, hoping to find blood from goats, goats and dogs. That's when the surprise came: there was human blood in the stool. According to Enrico Bernard, the reason why vampire bats are changing their eating habits is the fact that they live in the caatinga region, an area that is heavily affected by humans. There, the large birds that would be the basis of food no longer exist due to human actions.
The research was published in "Acta Chiropterologica", the most important on bats in the world.
Impact on human health
Bats can transmit rabies disease. If they continue to feed on human blood, it will have an impact on public health. If you have been bitten by a bat, it is necessary to go immediately to a health clinic. Symptoms of the disease are: fever, photophobia and difficulty eating.
