Vampire bats kill 38 Warao tribespeople in Venezuela

In Venezuela, 38 tribe's people including children have died as a result of attacks by vampire bats. The exact cause has not been determined yet but most are certain it was rabies carried by the bats. Most likely logging, mining or damming projects nearby disturbed these bats and were forced to find new prey.

Vampire bats survive on a purely liquid diet. They hunt mostly when it is fully dark and approach their prey on foot-biting their victim then sucking up the blood. Their saliva contains draculin, which prevents the blood from clotting.

The case was brought to light by two researchers from the University of California at Berkeley-Charles Briggs and Clara Martini-Brigss. They said that victims' symptoms included fever, body pains and tingling in the feet followed by progressive paralysis and an extreme fear of water. The victims also suffered convulsions and grew rigid before death.