Problem
Vampire bats as pests
Nature:
Vampire bats (desmodontidae) constitute a serious economic, veterinary and public health problem in Latin America, not only because they can transmit rabies and other diseases to domestic animals and to man, but also because their sole food is the blood of birds and mammals, including man: the vampire drinks about 20 cc of blood from its prey.
Incidence:
Because vampire bats are often rabid or spread diseases such as encephalomyelitis, they can cause the destruction of as many as one million cattle each year. It is estimated that these bats cause the destruction of US$ 1,250 million worth of livestock annually in Latin America.
Broader Problems:
Animal pestsMammals as pestsMammal vectors of disease Reduced By:
Threatened species of PhyllostomidaeStrategies:
Conserving bats Subject(s):
Birds, Mammals → MammalsSocietal Problems → Pests
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Problem Type:
E: Emanations of other problems Date of last update
04.10.2020 – 22:48 CEST