Texas: Home To Millions Of Bats And Two World Records

Texas is home to world-record numbers of bats.

Doesn’t it seem a little odd that Texas holds several records for the most bats? I don’t know why, but Texas feels more like armadillo-and-rattlesnake country than bat country. Still, there’s no denying that when the sun goes down, the bats come out to play in the Lone Star State.

Austin Is Home To The Largest Urban Bat Colony

One of the records belongs to Austin, which some people have nicknamed “Bat City.”

Austin holds the record for the world’s largest urban colony of Mexican free-tailed bats. These bats make their home beneath the Congress Avenue Bridge, and so far, nobody seems interested in bothering them.

In fact, the bats have become a major attraction in the city, with people gathering regularly to watch them emerge at sunset.

San Antonio Is Near The World’s Largest Bat Colony

Now let’s move on to the second record.

For this one, we head down the road a bit to San Antonio. Northeast of town sits Bracken Cave and the Bracken Cave Preserve, home to the largest bat colony in the world.

If you’re wondering what it takes to earn the title of “largest,” the answer is staggering: around 20 million bats.

That’s not a typo. Twenty. Million. Bats.

Texas Really Is Bat Country

As strange as it may sound, Texas truly is one of the bat capitals of the world. Between Austin’s urban colony and the massive population at Bracken Cave, the state holds two incredible wildlife records that most people probably never think about.

So yes, Texas may still be known for rattlesnakes, coyotes, and wide-open spaces — but apparently, it’s also very much bat country.