THE VAMPIRE that won't suck your blood

Stories

Crimson Forest: A Vampire Tale

I hadn’t originally intended to cover vampire bat facts in one of these blog installments; however, when I saw the fascinating and unique footage (perhaps representing the only footage of parasitization of a wild host – a collared peccary) on one of my camera traps at Tambopata Research Center, in the Tambopata National Reserve, I needed no encouragement to pivot from my originally scheduled content.

 

Vampire bats (Desmodontinae) are a marvel of evolution. They represent one of the fastest evolutionary divergences within the vertebrates. Evolved from an insectivorous ancestor some 22 million years ago, the route to ‘vampirism’  was achieved within a mere 5 million years. Fraught with more risks than one might think, the complete, all-inclusive diet afforded by blood-meal provided an irresistible evolutionary incentive. A one-stop, fly-by meal, rich in protein and nutrients. Only getting by without getting caught is harder than one might think, and the unique suite of physiological adaptations, stranger than one can imagine.

Desmodus rotundus,

Desmodus rotundus, the common vampire bat, is found in colonies with hundreds of individuals mainly females with their offspring; typically found in caves but in the Amazon rainforest is found in hollow trees. Photo by CC BY-SA 3.0

 

Of course, for a creature that weighs under 100 grams, simply approaching a host entails a perilous undertaking requiring the utmost stealth. Flight can be noisy or create drafts that can wake sleeping prey. Thus, these bats have regained the ability to walk, hop or even run (up to 2 meters/sec) using the combination of powerful legs and wings, enabling them to follow, or approach sleeping prey without alerting them to their presence and to quickly maneuver out of the way of a potentially fatal blow.

Vampire bats…

Once they have reached their intended target, they locate ‘hot spots’ – capillary-dense, thin-skinned areas like the feet which are ideal for feeding.  Vampire bats are the only mammals known to be able to detect infrared radiation – heat, and they do so by lowering the activation threshold of a cluster of specialized heat-sensitive neurons – the trigeminal ganglia – present in ‘leaf pits’ surrounding the nose. Once they have selected a spot, they must pierce the skin or tough hide, sometimes first shearing the site to clear it of hair that might otherwise interfere with feeding and all without alerting the host to their presence. They are able to do this through yet another specialized adaptation – razor-sharp incisors kept perpetually sharp through the lack of tooth enamel.  Because these incisors are so sharp, less pressure needs to be exerted to break the skin, reducing the chances of waking the host.

 

Now that the vampire is ready to feed, it uses yet another innovation, a specially grooved tongue. Blood is held within two channels on the underside of the tongue through capillary forces and then drawn up through muscle contraction in a kind of ‘tongue-pump’, all whilst saliva, containing an anticoagulant, Draculin, (a molecule of interest for the treatment of stroke victims) trickles down the topside of the tongue to keep the blood flowing in one of the most morbidly fascinating adaptations I’ve had the pleasure of learning about!

 

But we’re not done yet! Like the safe-cracker who pulls out tool after tool to pull off a heist, the vampire bat isn’t finished.

Vampire_bat_skeleton_face

 

A vampire bat skeleton, showing distinctive incisors and canines. Photo by Mokele

 

Drinking between a third and half of their body weight in a single feeding, this sudden weight gain could imperil flight or even ground them if not for their ultra-efficient kidneys and long, thin, and muscular bladder. This combination allows them to rapidly process the blood plasma (which is 90% water), absorbing the protein from the blood and excreting the excess fluid in the form of urine, all while still feeding.

 

Whereas ingesting a huge volume of liquids represents a physical challenge, the ingestion of large amounts of iron in the form of heme from hemoglobin (the iron-based molecule used to bind and transport oxygen) and nitrogenous proteins forms a chemical challenge, which can lead to toxicity. Laboratory studies have shown that macrophages (white blood cells with important immune functions), have been co-opted to help remove excess iron, whilst an as yet to be understood process appears to afford some form of protection from chronically high blood-nitrogen levels (azotemia) which would be otherwise debilitating and could represent yet another medically valuable avenue, this time for renal disease victims.

 

Fed and satisfied, the bat returns to its communal roost where it may engage in one of the few known cases of reciprocal altruism, a hotly debated behavior amongst biologists, whereby unrelated individuals share resources at a significant cost to the donor. Due to their high metabolic rates, bats must feed every 48 hours or else they will starve. To hedge against this starvation, bats will share with unsuccessful roost-mates, regurgitating blood with the expectation that their roost-mates will reciprocate in the future.

 

And so, while the vampire bat has earned a fearful reputation inspiring an entire horror genre, through insight and understanding of its complicated biology, this creature’s astounding natural history is less awful and more awe-inspiring and provides a story we can all really sink our teeth into.

So, if you are asking where do vampire bats live, you can find some in the Amazon Rainforest of Peru.

How to plan your Amazon travel to see this and other Amazon wildlife

  • Go on a hike in the rainforest with a trained guide: Bats are anywhere in the rainforest. However, to see a bat, hang out with a guide on a night walk around one of our trails.
  • Sign up for a Free Trial of the Wired Amazon: even if Amazon Travel is not in your short-term plans you can connect with Amazon wildlife. Sign-up for your free trial of the Wired Amazon and help us identify the Amazon wildlife that is on the photos taken by our 20 square kilometer grid of 78 cameras snapping away in the middle of the Amazon jungle

 

by Paul Bertner

  • What our guest say

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Wow what an experience! If you want to be fully immersed in Amazon life in a wonderful , comfortable eco lodge, and not have expectations of a 5 star city hotel (I'm not sure why you would, but some reviewers seemed disappointed it wasn't!) you will love this. You will be in a group, 6 in ours, but you don't all have to do the same activities, you just join another group. Plenty of spaces to chill and downtime if you need it...its hot and humid! There's a fan in the room and I heard the superior rooms have a fan under the mozzie net. Take a torch! We were never bitten, used deet repellent only. They provide rubber boots if you want them, some of the trails were very muddy, but we managed in our walking boots. We loved the open wall to the jungle, despite some bugs, but not too many surprisingly. Sooooo much wildlife, all sorts of monkeys, otters, turtles, caiman, different birds, capybara etc. Luis M was our guide, a local, and he could spot a spider from 5 metres I'm sure... great sense of humour and a wealth of knowledge, loved him. We spent 3 nights 20th-24th April, it rained on a couple of occasions but not much. Perfect holiday for an immersive wildlife experience! Read all

Beautiful lodge in the rainforest, very well maintained and clean. We had a lot of fun and excellent guides. The rooms and facilities were top-notch! Read all

We stayed at Posada Amazonas Lodge in May 2026, and it was a truly unique experience. It’s important to note that the concept is unlike a traditional hotel: the rooms (the lodge has around 30 in total) are built entirely of wood and open completely to the rainforest, with no windows. The walls are about two meters high, and everything is open-air, meaning you can hear your neighbors as well as the sounds of the forest throughout the night. There is a hot-water shower with drainage flowing through wooden beams beneath the floor, and the beds are protected with mosquito nets. The food is delicious and nutritious, and one pleasant surprise was the excellent Wi-Fi connection (Starlink) available both at the lodge and on the boats. The logistics are flawless from the moment you land in Puerto Maldonado, including a short car ride (accompanied by a security company) followed by a forty-minute cruise along the Tambopata River. The staff is incredibly friendly. Our guide, Luis M. (a member of the local community that manages the lodge), was simply outstanding, with eagle-eyed vision for spotting wildlife and always wearing a smile. Tour highlights: Canopy Tower: a 42-meter tower rising above the treetops with panoramic views. We loved seeing the river, the rainforest, and even the distant Andes Mountains on the horizon. We returned at night during a nocturnal wildlife tour, where we spotted tarantulas, white sloths, and tree frogs. Lake Tres Chimbadas: a peaceful catamaran ride (without a motor) where Luis showed us a group of red-bellied monkeys, giant otters, and caimans. The scenery and tranquility are incredible. Trek to the “Great Tree”: a forest hike where we saw deer, jaguar tracks, a three-toed sloth, and more wildlife. At the end of the trail, we reached the gigantic ceiba tree: around 500 years old, approximately 60 meters tall, and with an impressive 11-meter base diameter. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to experience the true Amazon! Read all

An exceptional experience that truly exceeded all expectations. What impressed me the most is that here they genuinely want to make your stay as comfortable as possible — and that, to me, is what real high-level service is all about. The guide really tries to fill every excursion with emotions and memorable moments, turning simple activities into meaningful experiences. The kitchen team puts great effort into variety and introduces you to Peruvian cuisine — it feels like a small гастрономic journey. Housekeeping works like invisible bees — you don’t notice them, but everything is always perfectly taken care of. Another big highlight is the comfort level: stable electricity and surprisingly good internet both on the way and at the lodge, powered by Starlink. Having this level of connectivity in the middle of the jungle is something truly special. From reception and the bar to the boat driver — everyone is genuinely warm and happy to have you. You can really feel that each person is a small but important part of one big system delivering outstanding eco-tourism service. Bravo — achieving this level of service in the wild is not easy, and it shows. This experience was very valuable for me and my family. I won’t get tired of thanking you for the emotions you gave us. Highly recommended. Dear travelers — don’t hesitate. Go, enjoy the incredible nature and the level of service. This is something you will remember for a lifetime. Read all

We had the most amazing time at Refugio Amazonas for 3 nights, with a huge thanks to our guide Juan Carlos! On the first afternoon we sat down and planned our activities, which we loved! We came face to face with hundreds of birds, tarantulas, leaf carrying ants spanning 10 meter motorways to work and deliver the leaves to the ant house for food, parasites, and even leaves that cause natural dyes on oxidation - we learned so much. Carlos was genuinly interested in showing us everything the jungle had to offer, humorous and caring too. Carlos knew anything and everything about what was around us, pointing out things and creatures that the untrained eye would miss, carrying a telescope at all times for us to see the birds, ensuring we got magical videos on our phones using the telescope! Read all

Many thanks to Refugio Amazonas for an unforgettable experience! Brenda and team were so wonderful and accommodating, and Alan was a great guide. Thank you for a memorable experience! :) Read all

We had an excellent time at Tambopata research center. We are tourists like most who now visit the center, but it’s great to know that you can support research and the local community by visiting a place like this. Our guide for our trip, Esau, was extremely knowledgeable and showed great passion for his job. He described it as a hobby and he would get very excited if you spotted a specific bird or a tree. His specific knowledge about each and every creature in the forest was very impressive and I would recommend asking for Esau to be your guide in the future if you plan to visit. The hotel itself is unique. You are in the middle of the Amazon rainforest - the accessibility to nature is second to none. There are no windows in the hotel rooms. We had bugs in our room, of course, but the mosquito nets keep everything out and, actually, we both slept very well. The bar staff, Harrison, is very knowledgeable with drinks and works very hard. The food isn’t the best you’re ever going to have, but you have to remind yourself you are in the middle of the rainforest and that it takes a 6 hour round trip to get to the nearest town, and so the job that the hotel does in respect of the food is actually intuitive and very good. I would recommend this hotel to my peers and I would love to visit again in a few years time. Read all

We just finished a 4-night stay at Tambopata Research Center and it was the highlight of our entire Peru trip. From the first email with Mariella to being picked up at the airport to the actual stay itself, every step was smooth and every employee was attentive. Having never stayed in a lodge like this (this remote or exclusive), we were a little nervous about what to expect. Our guide, Timo was INCREDIBLE at tailoring all the activities to us. When he found out we liked more adventurous hikes, he took us on walks through swamps, bamboo forests, and little-used trails while always keeping an eye out for monkeys, birds, and insects. His knowledge of the wildlife, plants, and history of the area was beyond what we hoped for and he truly made the experience worth it. Read all

Spent 4 nights in mid April. I had high expectations and was not disappointed. Our guide Carmen picked us up at the airport and we saw monkeys already on our way to the lodge. We had a wonderful stay with exceptional food and activities everyday. Our guide Carmen was great and our itinerary was based on her suggestions however we could decide on what we would like to see. Wildlife is abundant, however, sometimes difficult to spot and photograph due to the low light. It rained a lot despite April being considered a transitioning time to dry season. But come on ... it's the rainforest. The clear highlight are the macaws which you can hear all time and also see from the tower and at the leks. Read all

This trip was the highlight of our travels through peru. The lodge was absolutely 5 stars for everything. The room, food, people. We had a private guide, Allen, who grew up locally and really had deep knowledge of the land, the history, and the variety of plant and animal species in the jungle. His knowledge and passion were invaluable to our experience. There are a variety of tour companies and lodges you can book to visit the Amazon, however, I would only recommend Rainforest Expeditions as they are truly connected to the community and offer high quality first class amazon experience! Read all

We had a truly wonderful stay with Rainforest Expeditions. Everyone was incredibly kind and welcoming, and our guide was fantastic — very knowledgeable and passionate about the rainforest. We saw many animals, even from the boat, which made the experience unforgettable. Read all

I just spent 3 days here with my family. The research center surpassed all our expectations. I want to give a special shout out to Carlos who took such good care of us. He went above and beyond to make sure we werr comfortable. And he was always smiling. He made us feel so welcome. We had Erik as our guide who is so knowledgeable and experienced. We learned so much, saw so much wildlife. It really was a dream vacation. Thank you!! Read all

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