Vampire bat control in Latin America

The current control of vampire bats in Latin America rests on the following aspects of the biology of the bats: they are much more susceptible than cattle to the action of anticoagulants, they roost extremely close to each other, they groom each other, their rate of reproduction is low, they do not migrate, and they forage only in the absence of moonlight. These pieces of information were acquired in a search for control methods, and they yielded methods that are effective and that have minimal or no effect on nontarget species. The approach in this case was to find and use weak links in the life history of the animal in question. It also reflects an attempt to save money by comparing the cost and availabilities of various chemicals. (Author abstract)