Bracken Cave

USFWS Headquarters(CC Attribution)

每年夏天的黄昏,skies over Bracken Cave fill with bats, pouring from the entrance of the ancient sinkhole.

An estimated twenty million tiny flying mammals take up residence in this cave between March and October, making it not only the largest such colony of bats, but perhaps the largest concentration of mammals anywhere in the world. The little bats fly about 1,000 miles from Mexico to their summer home, where they give birth to the next generation.

墨西哥免费跟踪蝙蝠是一种最阿布ndant mammals in North America, and is the state bat of Texas, which has colonies in several locations, most famously living under the Congress Street Bridge in Austin. While holding quite a standing in the Lone Star State, Central America and Mexico are also places the bats are known to reside.

但蝙蝠可能有麻烦了:组织Bat Conservation International, who owns the property on which the cave sits, has issued statements warning that the bat colony may be under threat from a proposed large development project on adjacent property.

To protect the bats, access to the cave and surrounding property is strictly controlled by Bat Conservation International, who make it open to the public for viewing on select summer nights only.

Know Before You Go

Membership in Bat Conservation International (starting at $45) required to attend Member Nights.Reservations are required for BCI members. The schedule is set in early spring and is posted at www.batcon.org/Bracken