10/22/17

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The Bracken Bat Cave Preserve is operated by Bat Conservation International.  The Cave is home to a maternity colony of Mexican Free-tailed Bats.  It is one of the largest known concentrations of a single mammal species on Earth.  From late March thru October, there are approximately 8-10 million adult female bats roosting in the cave.  When their young are born, that number doubles to an astounding 15-20 million individuals.  It can take hours for the bats to leave the cave at night and the flight is a true spectacle.  The bats rise out of the cave in a spiraling motion, and stream off to the south to feed.  When they return in the morning, they come back from all directions, fold their wings, and zip into the cave.  The noise of their wings sounds like rushing water.  Numerous predators show up routinely to take advantage of the bounty; hawks, owls, snakes, raccoons, and other critters are common near the mouth of the cave.  The preserve is also home to the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler.

This site was last updated 10/22/17