Weaver, AL – The Georgia-Alabama Land Trust held a very special event on Friday, August 4th. Wildlife Biologist, Jonathan Stober with the Talladega National Forest Shoal Creek Ranger District, took a group of individuals on an educational exploration of the bats of Weaver Cave. He discussed the natural history of these bats, their story of survival, and how they use Weaver Cave. Participants were then escorted to the opening to Weaver Cave and watched as the bats flew out of the cave for their nightly foray. Weaver cave is home to more than 12,000 gray bats in summer and more than 600 tricolored bats in winter. The gray bat is an endangered species, and the tricolored bat is currently being reviewed for protection.
This is the 3rd Wing Night that the Georgia-Alabama Land Trust has held. Mr. Stober started the event by explaining why the bats are so extraordinary and also why Weaver Cave is gated. He also mentioned that it’s pretty remarkable what is able to be done today with current technology of putting transmitters on different things and following them all over the world. He talked about White Nose Syndrome that was started when, “Somebody kicked their boots off in a cave in New York in 2006.” It’s one of the many diseases that’s impacting wildlife communities. White nose syndrome in particular is a fungus that came from Europe and that fungus has spread all across the east and now it’s moving west. It’s being moved by humans and it’s being moved by the bats across this entire continent. Millions of bats have populations that are plummeting as cave roosting bats.
Weaver Cave has four different bats types, but the most prevalent are the grey bat which is endangered. Grey bats were listed as endangered in 1976, their populations were basically being decimated or reduced because of the activities in caves. Gray bats have recovered somewhat, because they are a bigger bat, they’re more physiologically adapted so that they can handle the fungus white nose syndrome. Another reason their populations have stabilized is because of efforts to persevere their habitats.Weaver Cave didn’t have that many gray bats in it until the land trust purchased the cave and gated it to start managing the people aspect of disturbances. While many have been frustrated by the restricted access the purpose it to help preserve the species of bats that live there.
After the lecture participants proceeded to the open of Weave Cave. While the bat emergence didn’t happen all at once it was worth the wait. At first a slow trickle then hundreds of bats flew out. To view pictures and videos scroll below. The first video shows the bats emergence en masse. The bottom video shows the slow motion flight.
The caves are open to the public on specific dates. The next date for a cave tour will be on October 14th. Even if the caves are closed there is still a three-tenths mile trail. Dates for open gates day are September 1st and 2nd, October 7th and 8th, November 11th and 12th, and December 16th and 17th.
