More Indiana Bats Called Sodalis Home this Winter

The results of the latest bat census in Hannibal’s Sodalis Nature Preserve are in.

In a press release from the Hannibal Parks and Recreation Department, the February survey showed that there were over 211,000 of the federally endangered Indiana Bats in hibernation in the former limestone mines.

That’s almost 45,000 more Indiana Bats than were counted in the last survey two years ago.

However, the count showed there were much fewer of six other varieties of bats, including two other federally endangered species.

Officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service say that the disease known as White Nose Syndrome is likely to blame for the lower numbers.

About a third of all the Indiana Bats in the world spend the winter hibernating in the Sodalis Nature Preserve.

About 40 people conducted the survey over a span of about four hours on February 9th.