Did you know vampire bats could run?

[See our amazing fact and video at the bottom to see a bat running. We only found out that they could run when we were researching this story here, but loved it so much that we decided to include it for you!]

Scientists have solved the mystery of how vampire bats can detect veins so easily on their prey.

Experts have known for a long time that vampire bats can detect infrared radiation (heat), but they didn’t know until now how the specialised pit organs around the bats’ noses work.

Apparently, it all boils down to how one single protein in the bats’ bodies has adapted over thousands of years.

The protein, TRPV1, is found in all vertebrates (creatures with a backbone). It usually works by warning animals of dangerous temperatures, giving a painful burning sensation in the skin. The normal version of the protein kicks in at around 43°C, but a new report in Nature reveals that vampire bats have been found to possess a different form, which responds to temperatures of 30°C.

This allows the bats to detect an animal’s warm vein quickly, then sink its teeth in for a quick meal before flying away.

The only other creatures scientists know of that can detect infrared are three families of snakes, including the pit vipers.

 

Amazing fact of the day: Although most bats lost the ability to walk a long time ago, vampire bats use their powerful forelimbs to bound along the ground and sneak up on their prey.

See the video below now – it really is one of the weirdest things that we've seen in ages.

 

Image by Dr. Pascual Soriano

 

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