Common vampire bat  (Desmodus rotundus)

The common vampire bat is one of the few bat species that are considered an agricultural pest, due to its feeding on livestock and spreading of diseases, which has resulted in rabies outbreaks in cattle (1) (9). Recent incidents of vampire bats attacking humans in Peru, Brazil and El Salvador have also attracted world-wide press interest, compounding the species’ already negative and misunderstood public perception (1). The result has been wide-scale eradication programmes, particularly in ranching areas, with control methods including burning, gassing and dynamiting of potential roosts (1) (9). Fortunately, the common vampire bat is not considered threatened, but vampire bat control programmes have nevertheless had a considerable impact (1), especially on other helpful, fruit-eating bats that are destroyed by people who mistake them for vampires (9). One control programme in Venezuela reportedly destroyed 40,000 caves, resulting in the loss of large populations of harmless bats as well as other cave fauna (1).

The management and conservation of vampire bats was discussed in depth at the 11th International Bat Research Conference held in Brazil in August 1998, attended by bat researchers and public health and veterinary officers. Conservation initiatives so far have included education programmes, such as a video programme developed by Bat Conservation International in the United States, and a range of other local and national educational and training efforts. The development of immunisation techniques has also been advocated as a potential conservation action for the future, involving oral vaccinations for the localised control of rabies in vampire bats. Additionally, it has been suggested that more targeted, non-chemical methods for the control of these bats are developed, which do not needlessly harm other species (1). Although the problems common vampire bats cause certainly need to be addressed, it is important that work is also done to dispel the animal’s undeserving negative reputation, since such unfounded prejudice could unfairly influence the treatment of this fascinating, unique and highly specialised species.