Alabaster Bat Count 2023 - ABC23

previous page • 1 2 • next page

Sat. January 28, 2023 Time again for the annual Bat hibernating population count at Alabaster Caverns State Park here in Oklahoma. Mike and Mel retired last year (Oct. 31st - perfect date for retirement for bat people) but have agreed to come back and help with this years bat count. Park Manager Derek said he could use their help and they dropped everything and came back to help. We had some help from some other managers and officials from the State Parks help out too! Most of the pictures below can be clicked on to see a bigger photo and for the scientists that like to see detail, the bigger photo has a link to a full size photo where you can see a flea on a bats nose (good for WNS survallance). This years total was 22,940 cave myotis and 12 Tri-color's in attendance. Thanks to all for helping out!! Click on any photo to see an enlarged version.
IMG_5365.JPG	IMG_5366.JPG	IMG_5370.JPG
Before it started Mike, Jim, Mel and Duane went off to look at the entrance to Lower Cave way out in the boonies!	Then we warmed up in the office	Then the others started arriving
IMG_5372.JPG	IMG_5374.JPG	IMG_5376.JPG

IMG_5378.JPG	IMG_5380.JPG	IMG_5382.JPG
	And the walk down to the closed entrance.	The entrance is closed due to a rock slide many years ago blocking the trail from this side.
IMG_5384.JPG	IMG_5386.JPG	IMG_5388.JPG
We can crawl though it but the public doesn't get to do that!
IMG_5390.JPG	IMG_5392.JPG	IMG_5394.JPG

IMG_5397.JPG	IMG_5399.JPG	IMG_5403.JPG
	The cave entrance
IMG_5405.JPG	IMG_5406.JPG	IMG_5407.JPG
	The safety talk before starting the count
IMG_5408.JPG	IMG_5409.JPG	IMG_5410.JPG
	Mike telling us we're counting bats... duhh! <grin>
IMG_5412.JPG	IMG_5413.JPG	IMG_5414.JPG
Some hardy folk entering Lower Cave...
IMG_5415.JPG	IMG_5416.JPG	IMG_5417.JPG

IMG_5420.JPG	IMG_5421.JPG	IMG_5423.JPG
While the rest of the crew stayed on the trail counting bats on the celing.		Going though the breakdown... you can see the walkway is kinda destroyed!
IMG_5424.JPG	IMG_5426.JPG	IMG_5427.JPG
	We'll take lots of photos from different angles for scientists to look at in detail for signs of White Nose Syndrome (WNS)	Although none of the bats we saw today showed any signs of WNS
IMG_5428.JPG	IMG_5430.JPG	IMG_5431.JPG

IMG_5432.JPG	IMG_5434.JPG	IMG_5435.JPG

IMG_5436.JPG	IMG_5439.JPG	IMG_5440.JPG

IMG_5441.JPG	IMG_5443.JPG	IMG_5444.JPG

IMG_5445.JPG	IMG_5448.JPG	IMG_5449.JPG

Click on any photo to see an enlarged version.

previous page • 1 2 • next page

A movie of bats inside Alabaster Caverns (41 meg)

Back to D's Old News

Last updated: 1/31/23