© Photo by Thomas Kunz
Old Tunnel State Park
10619 Old San Antonio Rd.
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
866-978-2287
In July and August in this old abandoned railroad tunnel, there can be around 1,000-3,000 Cave Myotis bats and over three million Mexican Free-tailed bats (which each weigh about as much 12 paperclips).
At night, the bats usually emerge about an hour before or after sunset, either through the south end of the tunnel where they spiral in a counter-clockwise direction in a large serpentine column that travels southeast toward the Guadalupe River or from the north end of the tunnel where they then embark on a flight northward toward the Pedernales River or south over the Old Tunnels' observation deck. Each bat can eat its weight in insects nightly, and sometimes the red-tailed hawks can be seen feeding on the bats.
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