Save the Bats in Bracken Cave

[Jewel addiction]

So I got an email from a local wildlife biologist today talking about the possibility of a housing development being built very near Bracken Cave, which houses the worlds largest bat population. Its easy to see how this is an obvious problem.


Take a look at the information at the link from Bat Conservation International. Please sign the online petition found near the bottom of the link's page...

Feel free to forward this on to anyone you think might be interested in helping to protect the largest bat roost in the world.


http://www.batcon.org/index.php/media-a ... m=redirect

or

www.batcon.org/savebracken



Thanks, Adam

[Chads93GT]

To play devils advocate. Why is it a problem? Sure are a lot of bats living in the heart of Austin Texas.

[PYoungbaer]

I think the issue will be for the homeowners. As the bats take off and return over the development, massive amounts of urine and bat droppings will quickly become an annoyance. Further, bats are likely to stop in the houses, under roof tiles, etc. It sounds like a stupid place to put such a development. I doubt the developer will inform potential buyers of the bat nuisance issues, and will wash their hands of any problems once the units are sold. This could leave a public to take their annoyance out on bats. Not a good recipe.

[mgmills]

I think the issue will be for the homeowners. As the bats take off and return over the development, massive amounts of urine and bat droppings will quickly become an annoyance. Further, bats are likely to stop in the houses, under roof tiles, etc. It sounds like a stupid place to put such a development. I doubt the developer will inform potential buyers of the bat nuisance issues, and will wash their hands of any problems once the units are sold. This could leave a public to take their annoyance out on bats. Not a good recipe.

I think that PYoungbaer is correct in his assessment of the situation. Sounds like a bad idea to me to put a development of houses so close to such a major bat flight.

[Phil Winkler]

Also, the development would sit right on top of the Edwards Aquifer, the primary source of water for central Texas. Water would drain off the development property into Cibolo Creek which flows into the Aquifer in multiple locations. All in all a bad idea. I suspect the Aquifer issue will have more effect on the decision to approve/disapprove then the bat issue.

[tncaver]

I signed the petition to stop the subdivision being built so close to Bracken Cave. That cave is way too significant to allow some money hungry developers to intensify the risk of vandalism to the cave and bats as well as putting home owners at risk of disease and home infiltrations by
bats.

Here is the direct link to the petition.

http://www.change.org/petitions/san-ant ... se-of-land

[VRcaver]

I wonder where the Center for Biological Diversity stands on this? We all know they are most interested in "saving bats"1 from "harm"2. Clearly the potential destruction of the largest colony of bats in the US fits that, right? Well, except it appears this is about private land, not public land, so the government lawsuit card is not in play.

1: saving bats = making money
2: harm = suing the government

[Phil Winkler]

I really doubt the cave will be vandalized. Visiting it is one thing. Entering it is another. You can go inside a short distance, but where the bats start you will find yourself gagging from the ammonia fumes, fighting off insects dropping on to you and the sheer joy of feeling the spray of bat urine on your face as you look up at the carpet of bats on the walls and ceiling. You really need Scott AirPaks to go any distance at all in this cave. Been there, done that.

[tncaver]

I really doubt the cave will be vandalized. Visiting it is one thing. Entering it is another. You can go inside a short distance, but where the bats start you will find yourself gagging from the ammonia fumes, fighting off insects dropping on to you and the sheer joy of feeling the spray of bat urine on your face as you look up at the carpet of bats on the walls and ceiling. You really need Scott AirPaks to go any distance at all in this cave. Been there, done that.

I think vandalism to bats is the biggest risk. If there are houses near by and bats become a problem, there could be people who want to harm
the bats. As far as the general population goes, bats and people don't mix very well. I signed the petition due to fear of what could happen to the bats.
Over a million bats that close to people on a daily basis is simply not a good idea.