Vampire bats keep their distance from others when they are under the weather Avalon/Photoshot License / Alamy
It turns out that humans aren’t the only species that practices social distancing in response to infectious diseases. Two new studies have revealed that vampire bats become socially and physically isolated from other colony members when they feel ill.
“Vampire bats are extremely social,” says Sebastian Stockmaier at the University of Texas at Austin. These bats form strong ties not only with their kin, he says, but also with other members of their colony, building relationships through grooming and food-sharing.
Stockmaier and…
