Ghostly tornado of bats – USA Must See

Bats exit area

I was informed that the highlight of visiting the Carlsbad's Cavern should be the evening bat flight from the caves. The picture painted of the event was almost beyond comprehension. Can you Imagine about 4 thousands bats exiting from a whole in the mountain forming a dark cloud in the gloomy twilight. I learnt that the number of bats at at one time was as large as 400, 000 thousand. No it is not a movie from Hollywood but an event right in the Carlsbad Caverns in the Carlsbad National Forest.

An out-door amphitheatre was built outside the caves, so  persons can view the bats exit in a comfortable seat. I was anxious and excited about the viewing, so I made an early entrance to the venue. I was also interested in getting to a good vantage point where I could maximize my view of the spectacle. Just visualize me perched at the end of my seat, twitting my fingers awaiting the start of the evening show.
As an introduction before the main course, the forest ranger present provided a short history of a bats life. Everyone was asked to turn off all electronic equipment including cameras and video recorders as the radio waves do affect the small critters. According to the rangers, the bats fly Southeast on exiting the caves towards Mexico in early Spring through October and stays in Mexico for the winter. During their flight they feast on small insects and each bat would eat about half of its body weight nightly. This exercise is of tremendous benefit to farmers, as the bats reduce the number of insects affecting agricultural produce. 

Bats are very sensitive to the environment around them as their numbers are being seriously dwindled over the years. The biggest danger to bats are humans. The US bat population is also being seriously affected by a new deadly disease called White Nose-syndrome. The name originates from a white fungus which grows around the nose and wings of bats. The fungus  awakens the bat during hibernation causing them to wander outside in the cold and where they die. So far, it appears that the bats at Carlsbad Caverns have not been affected by the disease.

My expectations were dashed at about 8:00 pm when the forest ranger announced that there would not be a mass exodus of bats that evening. Only a small insignificant number of bats had left the cave that evening. We were informed that the number of bats that fly in and out of the caves varies depending on the time of year, weather or season. The dry spell in the area meant fewer insects for the bats to feast on. The lack of food and the time of the year could be some of the numerous reason for the poor showing of the bats. It appears the best bats showing in term of numbers happens during the fall season. You can contact Jadd Fong Travel, An Albuquerque Travel Agency for reservations to the Carlsbad Caverns.