North Sentinel Island Andaman Islands

North Sentinel Island Andaman Islands: The Unexplored Island

The North Sentinel Island, infamous for its violent inhabitants, is located in the Bay of Bengal, west of the South Andaman Island’s southern tip. Designated as an exclusion zone by the Government of India, no one is allowed to embark their vessel near the island or attempt to land on the island or even come close to it. About 50-400 indigenous people inhabit the island, which is mostly forested. The Sentinelese people are extremely wild in nature and rejected all attempts made to befriend them in the past. The island is thus full of mystery and one of the last remaining spots on Earth with no interference from the modern human civilization.

Geography

The North Sentinel Island, India, stretches for about 72 km2 and possesses a roughly square outline. Encircling the island is a narrow beach beyond which the land rises about 66 feet. The terrain of the island is slightly undulating, with the elevation between 150 feet and 400 feet at the center. The island is covered by dense forests in most parts with the exception of the beach and uplifted reefs.

People

Little is known about the Sentinelese people due to their aggressive attitude towards outsiders. They probably live in temporary huts or permanent structures in the forest. Narrow, canoe-like boats are known to be used by them. They also use weaponry like harpoons, spears, and arrows. They are known to collect metal parts that wash ashore. The people of the North Sentinel Island appear healthy as observed from aerial footages and distant photography. Thus, it is believed they receive a steady source of food. Their diet could include fish from the sea, fruits and plant parts from the forest, and wild animals for meat.

Outsiders Unwelcome

The Sentinelese people do not welcome any outsiders to their island. In fact, several incidents have exhibited how these islanders can be unforgiving to those who come in their vicinity. In 2006, two fishermen were killed by these people when their boat drifted near the North Sentinel Island, driven by the strong currents at night. Low-flying helicopters have even been attacked by the people of this island. However, it is true, with the plethora of modern weapons possessed by modern man, it is easy to conquer these people and possess their island. However, some places are best left untouched, and so the Indian government has decided to keep this place on Earth untouched and the people here safe. Connection with modern humans might expose these people to diseases for which they have no immunity, killing them in masses. So, the government had designated the island and the waters around it as an exclusion zone.

Thus, in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the North Sentinel Island, and its people continue to exist, an enigma to the modern world and one of the last places on Earth yet to be explored by the modern human.

The Case of the Goonch in India: A Man-eating Fish?

In 1998, a seventeen year old boy, swimming in the gentle waters of  the Kali River near the India Nepal border, was mysteriously pulled down into the water of the river in front of the horrified and helpless eyes of his girlfriend and several other eyewitnesses. The reason of his disappearance baffled everyone as there seemed no apparent reason to justify this happening.

Three months later, in the waters of the same river not far away from the place of occurrence of the first event, a young boy was dragged into the depths of the Kali River, again by an unknown force while his father stood petrified not knowing what to do.

These two incidents were then followed by an elongated period of peace with no further reports of such disappearances of river victims. However, the underwater terror surfaced again in 2007 when an eighteen year old Nepalese man suffered a similar fate as the previous two victims. Eye-witnesses of this event claimed they saw something like a ‘giant pig’ dragging the man into the depths of the Kali river.

With the attacker remaining elusive, wildlife biologists and naturalists started their investigations in the area. Jeremy Wade, a television presenter of the series River Monsters and an expert angler, decided to investigate the mysterious case of these victims. At first, he was dubious of the truth but when his investigations revealed that all the three incidents occurred within an area spanning 4-5 miles, he became more interested. 

By David Shankbone (Own work) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Jeremy Wade

There were several possibilities which could result in these disappearances such as presence of whirlpools in the area or attacks by crocodiles. Each aspect was investigated separately by Wade but none seemed to have a firm standing. Since the water in the region was non-turbulent, hidden whirlpools could be crossed out of the list of suspects. Saltwater crocodiles had no chance of venturing so far into inland waters. The cold waters of the Kali are also not an ideal habitat for the Mugger crocodiles and Gharials, the only Crocodilians with a possibility to inhabit this place, did not have jaws suitable to attack and kill a human. So, what was then the invisible force which was responsible for these three human deaths?

While the investigations were on, a buffalo was reported to be dragged into the water in a similar manner to the human victims. Wade and his team scourged the rivers for days to find the possible attacker of this buffalo. Bull sharks were one last remaining possibility but none were detected in the region.

Strangely, after further investigations, Wade discovered giant Goonch catfish living in the region, especially in the area of the river where the buffalo died. 

The Goonch (Bagarius yarrelli) are large sized fishes with a broad mouth and razor-sharp teeth. Their pectoral and dorsal fins have strong spines. The Goonch caught by Wade weighed over 75 kgs and had a length of about 6 feet! However, Wade believed that this giant fish could have killed a human child but there must be larger ones in the waters that are capable of killing adult humans too! The locals in the region had their own say in this matter. According to them, the Goonch fed on the half burnt bodies released into the river from the nearby funeral pyres. In this manner, the fish developed a taste of human flesh and attacked people on the river and devoured them.

Even though nothing conclusive was derived regarding the real reason of disappearance of the human and animal victims in the Kali river, a giant sized, mutant Goonch with a man-eating tendency, is considered to be guilty for the attacks as per current beliefs.

Witness the mind-boggling and unexplained phenomenon of the Ghost Lights or Chir Batti's in Gujarat

Welcome to the mysterious land of the Banni grasslands in Gujarat where the Chir Batti (ghost lights) continue to enthral and baffle visitors visiting these desolate, marshy wetlands. Prior to the 1816 earthquake, the Indus river used to meander through this region, leaving behind its thick sediments on the floor of this grassland. However, with diversion of the water-flow after the earthquake, the area can now no longer sustain rich vegetation. In spite of this, the Banni grasslands are quite rich in animal and bird life, attracting wildlife biologists, naturalists and ecotourists to this spot. Another interesting tourist destination near this region is Dholavira, an ancient metropolis of the Indus Valley Civilization where human life once thrived thousands of years ago.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tulilautta3.jpg

Coming to the most interesting point regarding this fascinating region, the Chir Batti's have been reported to be visualized by both locals and tourists. The sightings usually start after 8 PM near the extinct Kiro volcano west of the Charri Dand lagoon. One of the reasons of the high frequency of Chir Batti reporting from this area could be due to the influx of ornithologists, archaeologists, geologists and palaeontologists into this area. The region is famous for being rich in birdlife, dinosaur fossils and mineral deposits. 

By Nishantshah (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The Kiro Volcano 

The Chir Batti’s are represented by coloured or white balls of light, pear shaped or spherical, which mysteriously float high above the ground (up to 3 metres in height) moving sometimes at a slow pace and at other times as fast as a bullet. The sighting lasts for several minutes and may involve a single ball of light or several of them. Another mind-boggling feature of the Chir Batti’s are that these balls of light tend to follow those who walk away from them. Till now, there has been no reports of this strange phenomenon exerting any harm to anyone. Still it is advisable not to try and follow these balls of lights since it usually leads one astray into the desolate salt flats and the thorny wilderness.

By Chinmayisk (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Limosa limosa in the Great Rann of Kutch

The Chir Batti phenomenon was earlier known only to the locals in the area who regarded it as a ghastly happening. With recognition of Banni grasslands as an excellent habitat for rare animals and birds, visitors started pouring into the region and the reports of the strange incident of Chir Batti sighting also became more frequent. Even soldiers of the Indian Border Security Force posted in this area have admitted to being eye-witnesses of this unnatural phenomena. 

Rama's Arrow at the English language Wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

Ancient Ruins of Dholavira

Attempted explanation:

The most obvious scientific explanation provided for the Chir Batti phenomenon is based on the theory of igneous gases. With the Indus having deposited its organic sediments in the region since ages, there is a possibility that the leakage of some of these chemicals like phosphine, methane and diphosphane into the air could result in their ignition in the presence of oxygen to produce the strange balls of light. Even if this is true, there is yet no theory to explain why these lights follow people where they go or why they appear only after 8 pm in the night.

With very little exploration and scientific experiments conducted to explain this astonishing phenomenon, there is very little that can be said about the real cause of the Chir Batti’s. 

For those interested, here is the link where you can read about how science has attempted, yet failed to give a conclusive proof about these strange lights:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will-o%27-the-wisp\

Thus, a question remains………Are the Chir Batti’s produced by chemistry in play or do they have a cause that science can never explain?

Read real life experiences of the famous Indian ecologist Jugal Tiwari as he  speaks about his sightings of the strange Chir Batti’s in the Banni Grasslands of Gujarat here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Chir_Batti

8 Poisonous Plants In India That Can Kill

1. Cerbera odollam or 'Suicide Tree'

Haplochromis at German Wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or CC BY-SA 3.0 de (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/de/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons

The ‘suicide tree’, according to scientific reports, is responsible for killing many people in India both by suicidal and homicidal poisoning. The name of the plant, Cerbera odollam, is derived from Cerberus, the mythical hound with three heads that guards the gates of the underworld and makes sure that the living are barred from entry and the dead are barred from leaving. The plant grows all across India and is quite infamous for its sinister qualities. A scientific team in France, reported that between 1989 and 1999 there were 500 cases of Cerbera poisoning leading to death. In Kerala, half of the deaths due to poisoning are contributed to Cerbera. The kernels of the plant, the most poisonous parts, have an extremely bitter taste. However, if mixed with spices and other spicy foods, it easily disguises the bitterness. The kernels hold the death toxin, cerberin. Cerberin is a cardiotoxin which blocks some ion channels of the heart, stopping the heartbeat. Women are often the victims of homicidal Cerbera poisoning. It is thus believed that many young wives may be killed by their in laws’ families using this death toxin. Nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain are the primary symptoms of cerberin poisoning. This is followed by worsening of symptoms like diarrhoea, dilated pupils, heart burning, headache, coma and finally death within 3-6 hours. 

Sources:https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn6701-suicide-tree-toxin-is-perfect-murder-weapon/

By Jane Wong S.K. (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

2. Datura stramonium

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Datura_stramonium_2_(2005_07_07).jpg

Almost all parts of the Datura plants can kill you. The plant is laden with dangerous poisons like hyoscyamine, atropine and scopolamine, overdose of which could lead to fatal consequences. The symptoms include delirium, amnesia, lowering of heartbeat, hyperthermia, pupil dilation with painful photophobia, bizarre behaviour and at high doses, death. Datura seeds, mixed with food, have been used by servants to kill their employers, wives to kill their husbands, robbers to knock off train passengers and for revenge killing for centuries. 

http://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/19/world/accident-or-mass-murder-india-s-food-poisoning-mystery.html

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bieluń_dziędzierzawa_Datura_stramonium_Seed_01.jpg

3. Calotropis gigantea

By Lalithamba from India (Calotropis gigantea R.Br.) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

In Usilampatti taluk in Tamil Nadu, women give the newborn milk laced with erukkam paal (sap of Calotropis gigantea). The infant sucks the milk greedily and dies within an hour. Penn-sisu-kolai (girl-baby murder), it’s called. Mothers did this, but more often, mothers-in-law, by mixing pesticides, sleeping pills, rat poison or saps with mother’s milk and feeding it to the newborn girl. What is worse is, there are families which start growing the madar (Calotropis gigantea) right from the time a woman conceives to kill the newborn if it is a girl.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/women-of-kallar-community-in-tamil-nadu-kill-their-female-babies-by-feeding-them-poison/1/348513.html

By Wilfredo Rodríguez (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

4. Aconitum species

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kingsbraegarden/221131136

The Aconitum species harbours some of the most potent toxins (aconite and related alkaloids) which are both cardio-toxic and neurotoxic. Consumption of herbal medicines or accidental ingestion of the roots or root tubers of this plant could lead to poisoning. The toxins bind to the voltage sensitive channels on the membranes of myocardium, nerves and muscles resulting in a persistent activation of these channels. This leads to hyperstimulation of the tissues. The symptoms involve numbness in the face and limbs, lowered blood pressure and heart rate, chest pain, nausea and vomitting, abdominal pain, etc. The primary cause of death is cardiac malfunctioning.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19514874

5. Gloriosa superba

By Brian Gratwicke [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The Gloriosa superba or Kalihari in Hindi, is a plant infamous for its toxic properties being harnessed to commit murders and suicides. Every part of this plant is laden with toxins. The toxic component of this plant is the colchicine, an alkaloid that is cytotoxic in nature. Within hours of ingestion, the victim experiences symptoms of abdominal pain, bloody diarrhoea, dehydration, respiratory difficulties, low blood pressure, mental status alteration, seizures, coma and finally death. Often the tuberous rhizomes of this plant are confused for sweet potatoes or yams and eaten. Slow poisoning with the toxin can lead to loss of hair including complete balding and continuous vaginal bleeding in women. 

Challiyan at ml.wikipedia [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

6. Ricinus communis

By H. Zell (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The seeds of Ricinus communis or the castor plant, contains ricin, one of the  most potent toxins of the natural world. The castor bean contains two toxin, the ricin and RCA (Ricinus communis agglutinin). The former is primarily cytotoxic and the latter is a powerful hemagglutinin (clots blod). However, ricin is the more dangerous toxin as it is easily absorbed by the intestinal wall which is not the case with RCA. One milligram of ricin is potent enough to kill an adult! The symptoms involve nausea and vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, severe dehydration, pain in the abdomen, drop in blood pressure and urine. Often, necklaces are made using castor seeds which must be kept well out of reach of children. Castor seeds swallowed in whole are usually passed out as stool but when chewed or bitten, ricin is released into the body. It is believed that even a single seed can kill a child!

By Tubifex (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

7. Strychnos nux-vomica

By J.M.Garg (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Strychnine is an alkaloid poison derived from the Strychnos nux vomica tree. It has been used since the early 16th century as a rodenticide. In the 1900’s, strychnine was responsible for a number of deaths in children. Accidental poisonings, homicide and suicide cases due to strychnine were also widely reported during that time. Today, most cases of strychnine poisoning are due to adulteration of street drugs, homeopathic medications and herbal remedies. Strychnine is also found as a pesticide that kills rats. You may be exposed to the poison through water, food or even inhalation of the fumes. Strychnine prevents the proper functioning of the chemical messenger system of the body, producing painful muscle spasm and in lethal doses, loss of the ability to breather followed by death. Fear and agitation, painful muscle spasms, tight jaws, breathing difficulties and darkened urine are some of the symptoms of strychnine poisoning.

By H. Zell (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/strychnine/basics/facts.asp

8. Sinopodophyllum hexandrum

By J.M.Garg (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The rhizome of the Himalayan mayapple or Sinopodophyllum hexandrum, contains a resin from which the neurotoxin, podophyllin, can be extracted. Even though this toxin has therapeutic properties in treating genital warts, in higher doses, it can be extremely hazardous to health. In toxic doses, the podophyllin causes severe central nervous system depression, enteritis and even death. Even if this poison is applied topically in lethal or near lethal doses, it can be absorbed into the body, causing fatal reactions and death.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinopodophyllum

5 Weird Species You Did Not Know About - Part 1

By Glenn Williams (National Institute of Standards and Technology) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

THE NARWHAL: UNICORN OF THE SEA


Scientific name: Monodon monoceros
Conservation status: Near Threatened

A porpoise found in the cold waters of the Arctic coast and rivers, the pale coloured male Narwhal  will fascinate you with its prominent swordlike, spiral tusk. Male narwhals have two teeth and the prominent one among them grows right through their upper lip up to about a length 8.8 feet. Scientists are not quite sure about the purpose of this tusk but consider that it may help the male Narwhals search for mates or fight a rival during mating. Females may also have small tusks of their own but they are not as pronounced as the male's.

Narwhals swim in groups of 15 to 20 and feed on fish, shrimps and other aquatic food. However, the sad news for you is that these creatures are near threatened today due to human activities like hunting. Inuit people are allowed to hunt Narwhals for subsistence and almost all parts of a Narwhal are consumed. However, Narwhals are also hunted for their ivory tusks and are also suffering from the effects of global warming.

By IronChris (Wikipedia. See other versions) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

HUMMINGBIRD HAWK-MOTH: BAFFLING NATURE

Scientific name: Macroglossum stellatarum
Nature often baffles our eyes with species bearing close resemblance to each other. One of the best examples of this fact is the hummingbird hawk moth. It is very difficult to distinguish a hummingbird hawk moth from a Hummingbird due to the uncanny resemblance of the former in both appearance and behaviour with the latter.


So every time you spot a hummingbird, think twice. The Hummingbird hawk moth flits around flowers just like the bird and also appears to have feathers and a tail like a hummingbird which are actually extended hairs of this creature. The Hummingbird hawk moth feeds on the nectar of flowers with its long proboscis which is coiled up tightly when not in use. Tulipa, Jasmina, Viola, Echium, etc. are some of the favourite flowers of the Hummingbird hawk moth. 

By Aaron Logan (from http://www.lightmatter.net/gallery/albums.php) [CC BY 1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

A DEER? A BABY GIRAFFE? NO, IT'S A GERENUK!!!!

Scientific name: Litocranius walleri
Conservation status: Near Threatened

Gerenuks are  actually a species of antelope found in the African forests. The Gerenuks make great use of their long neck and legs to feed from tall desert trees. They are very well adapted for the harsh desert conditions where they live and can go without water for as long as their lifetime! The population of Gerenuks is on the decline due to habitat fragmentation induced by human activities. 

By Rein Ketelaars (Flickr: DSCN1938.jpg) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

 RED-LIPPED BATFISH: THE KISSABLE FISH

Scientific name:  Ogcocephalus darwini

These strange looking fish look like they have painted their lips bright red with lipstick. Only difference from humans are that it is the males of this species that have bright, red lips to attract the females. Found in the tropical seas, the Red-lipped Batfish are horrible swimmers. Instead, they prefer walking on the sea floor using their fins as legs. These fish are carnivores and feed on invertebrates like shrimps, molluscs and crabs. Very little is known about these fish due to their remote habitats on the ocean floor and hence these creatures are also less threatened by human activities than other sea creatures. 

                                 By Seilov (www.ulytautour.kz) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

THE HUMP NOSED SAIGA ANTELOPE

Scientific name: Saiga tatarica

Conservation status: Critically Endangered

Designed for withstanding extremes of temperature, the Saiga Antelope's humped nose (its most distinguishing characteristic) is both flexible and inflatable allowing the creature to breathe clean air during dusty summers and warm air during harsh winters. The Saiga Antelope adorns a sparse, cinnamon coloured coat during summers which is replaced by a white, wooly coat during the winters. The largest populations of these animals are found in Kazakhstan. Saiga Antelopes are now facing extinction due to hunting for meat and Chinese medicines and habitat loss and need to be saved before they are lost completely.

Scared of Vampire Bats? Now you'll love them

All our childhood Dracula stories are filled with horrific descriptions of these supposedly scary, blood-thirsty, killing machines. The term 'vampire bats' is synonymous with gory, bloody images and thoughts.

However, here are some facts which may change your opinion about these unique creatures and increase your respect for these animals:

An Intro : Mosquitos and leeches are two invertebrates associated with sucking the blood of other creatures. Among mammals, the Common, White-winged and Hairy-legged vampire bats are three species which feed on the blood of other species.Vampire bats usually feed on cattle and sometimes on wild animals like capybara, tapir or peccaries. From their prey base, can you deduce where these creatures are from? Yes, you got it correct. These creatures are found in South America.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Desmodus_rotundus_feeding.jpg

1.ADMIRABLE SENSE OF HEARING -  Vampire bats are able to distinguish between two humans by their breathing sounds! This has been proved while training bats in laboratory where bats were able to memorize the breathing patterns of individual humans and recognized them at a later time on the basis of breathing sounds. However, in reality, vampire bats hardly target humans for sucking blood.

2. EXTREME AGILITY- Vampire bats move very fast -  at the speed of nearly 1 metre per second! After recognizing a target with the help of its admirable sense of hearing ( the bat often feeds on the same target night after night), the bat moves with extreme agility towards the target.

3. EXCELLENT ANATOMICAL KNOWLEDGE-  After approaching the target, the vampire bat locates a suitable blood vessel on the target with the help of its heat sensitive nose cell. It clears the area of hair or feathers by clipping it away and prepares the site for blood sucking. It then inserts its razor sharp incisors into the blood vessel and sucks blood for about an hour. The cocktail of enzymes secreted by the bat (one of them called draculin) prevents the blood from clotting.

4.  SCARY CREATURES  OR SELFLESS BEINGS? - Compassion is perhaps one of greatest features that define humanity. A vampire bat is small in size and the blood it draws from a creature is equivalent to about 1 tablespoon or 15 ml of blood. This act hardly kills an animal except for rare cases where a large number of vampire bats feed on a weak or dying animal. Most animals do not even notice they have been bitten by a vampire bat.However, what these vampire bats frequently do with the blood they feed on is amazing and inspirational. Vampire bats who have not fed on blood for three consecutive day usually suffers from weakness and dies. This is because blood is rich in proteins but not carbohydrates. Hence, a continuous supply of blood is required to keep these creatures alive.



So what if a bat has not been successful in its search for a target? In the bat kingdom, such a weak bat is taken care of by the other members of the society. Often, other bats not biologically related to the bat, may regurgitate the blood it has fed on to feed the unlucky bat. This blood sharing scheme is followed frequently in the bat kingdom.

So, after learning all these wonderful facts about vampire bats, would you still continue to despise these creatures as  scary, demonic creatures or learn from them some 'humane' behaviour and praise nature for this unique creation?

Note besides: One of the primary reasons of vampire bat related deaths is due to spread of infection from an infected host to another by the vampire bite. This is similar to the spread of diseases by mosquitoes. In this case, the bat itself may also be affected by the infection.

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141218-the-truth-about-vampire-bats
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/06/060619-vampire-bats_2.html
http://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/vampire-bat-info.htm

6 Animals with the Most Fascinating Tongues in the Animal Kingdom

1. The sticky tongued Ant-eater: The longest mammalian tongue

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Myrmecophaga_tridactyla_-Detroit_Zoo,_Michigan,_USA-8a.jpg

The Giant Anteater has the longest tongue in the mammalian world. Can you imagine it has a two feet long tongue? Not only that, the anteater can flip out its tongue 150 times per minute! The tongue of the anteater is sticky and spiky and picks up bugs from the ground in the matter of seconds without getting bit. Even though the anteater has poor eyesight, its sense of smell is 40 times stronger than that of a human being. The anteater mashes the ants at the roof of its mouth before engulfing them and feeds on about 35,000 ants a day!

2. Is it the tongue or is it something more sinister?

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cymothoa_exigua_parassita_Lithognathus_mormyrus.JPG

Here are some amazing facts for you - The Cymothoa exigua or the tongue-eating louse is a parasitic crustacean that enters through the gills of a fish and sits atop its tongue. By extracting blood from the tongue of the fish with the help of its claws, the parasite induces atrophy (wasting away) of the fish tongue. The tongue of the fish falls out and the parasite now occupies the new position. Other than acting as the tongue of the fish, the parasite produces no further damage to its host. The parasite lives by drawing blood from the fish or feeding on its mucus. After the fish dies, the parasite detaches and clings to the body of the fish. This is the only know example of a parasite replacing an organ of its host.

3. The blue tongued Skink-Unique defence organ

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blotched-Blue-Toungue-Alpine-phase.jpg

The blue tongued skink is an interesting reptile that resembles a snake but is actually a type of lizard. It has small digits on its body, is a slow mover and is unable to climb trees. It has a body colour which camouflages it in leaf litter. However, that may not be enough to save this species from the watchful eyes of predators in the Australian wilds. So, how does the skink save itself? The blue tongue of the skink is its only defence system. In the animal world, where colours really matter, the blue tongue of the skink helps to ward off predators with its poisonous symbolism. In truth, the blue skink is actually defenceless and non-poisonous. Blue tongued skinks are omnivorous in nature and are often kept as pets in homes (However, it is always preferable to keep wild animals in their natural habitats).

4 and 5. Okapis and Giraffes : Possessors of the famous prehensile tongues 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Okapi_tongue.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Giraffe%27s_tongue.jpg

Okapi is a close relative of the giraffe and is found in parts of Africa. This beautiful animal was discovered in 1900's Presently, the okapi is endangered with a few thousands of this creature surviving in the wilds. It has an 18 inches long tongue that can reach both its eyes and ears! Its tongue can also be used to strip leaves and buds from plants. 

Another fascinating creature, the giraffe, has an equally fascinating tongue. Its tongue is usually 18-20 inches long and prehensile. The tongue has thickened papillae which protects the tongue from thorns on African vegetation. The tongue of the giraffe has a dark colour and it is believed that the colour protects the tongue from sunburns during long exposure periods while feeding on plants.

6. The blue tongued Chow Chow

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:03_Bokeh_the_Chow.jpg

The Chow Chow is a Chinese dog breed that is believed to have been used as temple guards in China, Mongolia and Tibet. Later on, the dogs were used for various purposes like hunting, herding, guarding, etc.One of the most unique feature of the Chow Chow is its blue-black tongue. Chow puppies are born with a pink tongue but gradually the colour changes to blue-black. This is why the Chow Chow was used as temple guards in ancient China. The dark tongue of the dog was believed to ward of evil spirits. Often people with another dog breed consider their dog to have Chow Chow ancestor if their dog has dark spots on their tongue. The only other canine breed sharing this trait of the Chow Chow is the Chinese Shar Pei.