Carlsbad Caverns Tornado of bats!

Can you imagine a tornado of bats about four thousand? Imagine numerous bats exiting from a hole in a mountain at Carlsbad Cavern bat caves. They form a dark cloud which shadows the moon in the gloomy twilight. No, it is not a horror movie from Hollywood. In fact, it is an amazing event that would send shivers tingling down your spine. The viewing of this spectacular tornado of bats is the highlight of any visit to the Carlsbad Cavern bat caves. The picture painted of this event was beyond comprehension. Yet, I had high expectations for my first visit to the Carlsbad Cavern bat caves. The Carlsbad Caverns is part of the Carlsbad National Forest and is located in the southern part of New Mexico.

The Carlsbad Caverns bat caves has an amphitheater for seating. It provides excellent view of the tornado of bats exiting the Carlsbad Cavern bat caves. In addition, it also gives persons a comfortable seat. As a result, I made an early entrance to the venue. I was anxious and excited about the viewing. It was equally important that I get a good vantage point. I wanted to maximize my view of the spectacle of the tornado of bats. Several tourists were perched at the edge of their seats. I had a camera in hand waiting for the tornado of bats exodus.

History of Carlsbad Caverns Tornado of bats

The forest rangers gave a short presentation. It highlighted the history of the tornado of bats. The presentation was interesting as it prepared us for the main event. On conclusion, everyone was asked to turn off all electronic equipment. That included cameras, phones and video recorders. We were told that the radio waves would affect the small critters.

According to the rangers, the tornado of bats fly Southeast on exiting the Carlsbad Cavern bat caves. On exit, the bats fly towards Mexico in early spring through October. They stay in Mexico for the entire winter. During their flight they feast on small insects. Each bat would eat about half of its body weight nightly. The bat flight is of tremendous benefit to farmers. Most important of all, the bats reduce the number of insects affecting agricultural produce.

Bats are very sensitive. They are affected by severe change to the environment around them. The Carlsbad Cavern bats are no exception. Their numbers have been seriously dwindled over the years. The biggest danger to the bats is human interference. In addition, the US bat population is also being seriously affected. A new deadly disease called White Nose-syndrome has reduced the population. The name originates from a white fungus which grows around the nose and wings of bats. More can be learnt of the disease at the US National Wildlife Center website. The fungus awakens the bat during hibernation. It causes them to wander outside during winter where they die. So far, it appears that the bats at the Carlsbad Cavern bat caves have not been affected by the disease.

Reason for bats no show

I had high expectations for the event. The forest ranger announced that there would not be a mass exodus of tornado of bats that evening. Only a small insignificant number of critters had left their comfort of the Carlsbad Cavern bat caves that evening.The tornado of bats varies that fly in and out of the caves. The volume of bats depends on the time of year, weather and season. The dry spell in the area meant fewer insects for the bats to feast on. As a result, the lack of food and the time of the year could be some of the factors for the poor showing of the bats. It appears the best bat showing in term of numbers happens during the fall season. The moisture during that period attracts insects.

Please contact Tropical Destination Vacations for more information on the Carlsbad Caverns.