Animals that drink blood to survive

You might have some scary looking creatures in movies that drink blood for survival. However there are some bizarre and creepy looking animals right in the real world that also need blood as sustenance. We have gathered a list of these blood suckers for you.  These animals are as follows.

Mosquito:-

Mosquitoes are the well known blood sucking creatures on the face of earth and their lineage dates back to even prehistoric times. There are nearly 3000 species of mosquitoes that feed on blood but only female mosquitoes drink blood of human which is essential for laying eggs. The itch and the bump left after a mosquito bite is usually the reaction of its saliva.

Ox Pecker:-

Ox Pecker or also known as Tick Bird is found in Africa. Most of the time they sit on the hide of cattle and other big animals, removing and eating ticks, flies and insect. However you will be amazed that they also have a taste for blood of these animals. They often feed on the blood from the wounds of these animals. They even prevent the injuries of these animals from healing by scratching on them and to feed themselves blood.

Vampire Finch:-

This is a blood thirsty bird found mostly on Galapagos Islands. They are a sub species of common finches and they do eat seeds and insects but they also have a craving for drinking blood. Vampire Finches mostly attack in groups and their primary prey is another bird called Booby Bird. When a group of Vampire finches attack Booby Bird, it stays still allowing the finches to drink its blood.

Leech:-

Today people mostly avoid these blood sucking creatures but prior to 19th century medical revolutions, they were sued for medical purposes. They were known to treat ailments like Tumors, skin diseases, gout and whooping cough. They are also being used in modern scientific methods today as well. They are used for supply of blood to damaged veins after tissue graft or after treating a torn appendage.

Vampire Catfish:-

Candiru or commonly known as Vampire Catfish I a parasitic fish that is found in fresh waters of Amazon River. They are hard to track because of their semi transparent skin and small body size. They are naturally endowed with sensors hat can track the ammonia excreted from passing fishes. Upon following ammonia trail of the fish they capture it by lodging its barbed spines on to fish’s body. These spines draw out blood upon which Candiru feeds.

There has been only one case of a Candiru entering through the urinary tract of a human back in 1997. Candiru was removed after two hours of long surgery.

Vampire Bats:-

Many species of vampire bats are hematophagous in nature meaning that need only blood for sustenance. They are so dreadful in their blood drinking habits that a group of 100 strong Vampire Bats can suck blood of 25 cows in one year. They are normally found in Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil. They need to drink blood every two or three days. They use their sharp razor teeth to make incisions on their victim’s body to draw out blood and slowly lick it. They also share blood with one another by regurgitating it.