The Old Tunnel WMA is the smallest Wildlife Management Area in Texas, containing only 16.1 acres of land. Despite its small size, there are a variety of recreational and wildlife-viewing opportunities at Old Tunnel WMA. The abandoned railroad tunnel is home to up to three million Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) and 3,000 Cave myotis (Myotis velifer) from April to October, more mammals than any other WMA. From May to October, visitors come to watch the bats emerge from the tunnel each night, and nightly educational programs provide guests with a better understanding of the life history and ecology of bats.
Area W of San Antonio
Old RR tunnel
Jo & Chris looking into cut
the old rr cut
Museum folks with bat specimens
naturalist talk
bats emerging
bats-grey blurs
IMG_0420
IMG_0418
IMG_0422
more numerous
IMG_0424
IMG_0426
IMG_0427
IMG_0428
IMG_0429
here they come
IMG_0431
IMG_0432
IMG_0433
hi flyers from other end of tunnel
IMG_0435
different formations
IMG_0439
The sea of bats!
This is where we were
Chris & Jo
Phil