Four million bats emerge from the Eckert James River Bat Cave nightly
in a swarm of sight, sound, and smell that is an exciting feat of nature. The
Nature Conservancy-owned park outside of Mason has one of only a dozen
maternity bat colonies in Texas – and among those, this is one of the few open
to the public. It is this kind of eco-tourism that has helped increase
awareness of bats and dispel the creatures’ negative image.
Getting to the park is almost as much of an adventure as watching the bats
pour out of a rocky crevice in the cave; in this part of the northern Hill
Country, there are more cows than people.
Mason is about two hours west of Austin and the bat cave is 18 miles from
town. The last eight miles of dirt road to the preserve are fine by
pickup-truck standards but deadly by those of a sportscar and because the rough
road is slow going, city slickers may have trouble judging the distance.
The bat cave has one of the largest populations of Mexican free-tail bats in
the southwest from mid-May to mid-October, according to Amy Mercer, the
preserve’s steward. The population peaks at about eight million in early August
when the pups begin to make the nightly foray for insects with their mothers.
By early September, the pups go off on their own and the number dwindles to
four to six million, still an impressive sight as the colony fills the dusk sky
like a column of smoke.
This is a maternity colony where females nest before returning to Mexico for
the winter. The free-tail bat is the only bat to form colonies in the millions,
Mercer says – if something were to happen to one of the known colonies, it
could be disastrous for the insect eaters.
The Eckert family has been ranching the land surrounding the bat cave since
1907, and for years it was an unofficial tourist attraction. Mercer said she
has heard stories of parties at the mouth of the cave where the participants
swatted the bats with tennis rackets or used them for target practice.
To protect this resource, the original settlers’ grandson sold the cave and
eight acres to the Nature Conservancy, which buys and manages unique
ecosystems. The Conservancy’s 31 preserves in Texas are part of an
international effort to preserve natural communities and native species.
Each evening just before sunset, Mercer teaches a lesson on bats and the
ecosystem as 20 or so visitors wait for their emergence before the small
amphitheater of plank benches under a stand of trees a few feet from the mouth
of the cave.
From the benches, the flutter of millions of wings stirs the damp smell of the
cave and the shrill squeaking of the bats fills the air. As the sky darkens
with millions of bats, the pit at the mouth of the cave becomes a circus of
snakes and raccoons looking for a meal, while up above a hawk circles looking
for his supper.
This is one science lesson that will be remembered for a long time. With no
admission charge, it may also be one of the best tourist attractions in the
state.
From May through October, the preserve is open 6-9pm. Rugged shoes and a
flashlight are recommended. The preserve does not allow pets or flash
photography at the cave. For information on the cave, call 915/347-5970. The
Mason chamber of commerce, at 915/347-5758, gives directions.
The Nature Conservancy of Texas has been quietly buying up some of the state’s
most valuable ecosystems, preserving 43,039 acres. Many of their other
preserves are open to the public; for information call 210/224-8774.
Coming up this weekend…
Fall Food Festival at Peaceable Kingdom School presents demonstrations
on organic gardening the north of Brenham off TX105, Sept. 23. 409/878-2353.
Median Lake Cajun Festival brings Louisiana food and music to the Hill
Country at Lakehills west of San Antonio, Sept. 23. 210/751-3130.
Wendish Festival at the Wendish Heritage Museum in Serbin highlights
the Serb influence in Texas, Sept. 24. 409/366-2441.
Coming up…
State Fair of Texas in Dallas claims to be the world’s largest annual
exposition of new cars, livestock, shows, and midway, Sept 29-Oct 22.
214/565-9931.
Texas Renaissance Festival in Plantersville transports visitors to an
old English village to enjoy entertainers, food, and historic displays, Sat
&Sun, Sept 30-Nov 12. 800/458-3535.
– Gerald E. McLeod
This article appears in September 22 • 1995 and September 22 • 1995 (Cover).
