Vampire bats in Texas?
Vampire bats in Texas? Texas State researcher says it's possible -- and now is the time to prepare
To the growing list of unwelcome effects of global warming or climate change or whatever your politics dictate you call the phenomenon, you may add this: Vampire bats are threatening to invade Texas.
The bats are native to South and Central America and Mexico, and a move north is a distinct possibility in coming decades, Texas State University biologist and wildlife disease expert Ivan Castro-Arellano said.
Vampire bats can't survive for long in temperatures below 50 degrees. But if Texas continues to experience mild winters, colonies of the nonmigratory species could find homes here.
Weather models show temperatures could go up an average of 2 to 11 degrees in the next century, and Castro-Arellano said the much-maligned creatures of the night may emigrate from Mexico to the Lone Star State in half that time or less.
It's an issue for ranchers and others with livestock because vampire bats can injure and even kill their prey — mostly sleeping mammals — with repeated feedings. Vampire bats cost Mexican ranchers millions in losses every year, Castro-Arellano said. The U.S. Census Bureau places the value of Texas' livestock at more than $14 billion
Like we don't already have enough blood sucking varmints (texas repukes).
= new reply since forum marked as read
With enough encouragement from Repukes they will self-deport. 
News like this reminds me of a trip I made during the winter to my parents home in George West about 20 years ago. There were three green jays out in the back yard fluttering around a hackberry tree and water dish. Nobody in my family ever saw them before since they were supposed to go no further north than the Rio Grande Valley (at least 100 miles out of territory). They are beautiful birds with the purplish-blue cap and yellow tail feathers. They seem to migrate up that way every year.
Next thing you know Debbie Riddle will be calling them "anchor bat babies" and a whole new illegal immigration across the border. And she'll want to add higher nets to the 100 foot border wall. 
I would love to see green jays in our neck of the woods. Vampire bats - not so much.
