September 10th Night Hike

As the leaves start to turn colors, Sodalis Nature Preserve is the perfect place to see plants, trees, wildlife and of course the bats. Join us for the first Night Hike of September on 9/10/21 at 6:30PM. Participants should meet in the Sodalis parking lot off of Ely Street.

The night hikes are scheduled in time for participants to see the bats at sunset.

Each fall, Indiana bats migrate from their summer habitats to congregate in the vicinity of their hibernation sites, which include caves and abandoned mine shafts. During this time, the bats engage in mating activity and feed in the surrounding area to build the fat reserves needed during hibernation.

The Indiana bat is a small, brown mammal about 1.5 to 2 inches long. The scientific name of Indiana bats is myotis sodalis. Scientists have determined there are more than 200,000 bats that hibernate in the abandoned limestone mines at Sodalis Nature Preserve.

The full Night Hike program lasts about two hours and follows a 2-mile paved trail. Participants are welcome to stay with the group or return to the parking lot on their own. Activities include seasonal observations, sensory activities and the telling of the creation of Sodalis Nature Preserve.

There will be a strict limit of 20 participants and reservations must be made by calling Hannibal Parks & Recreation at 221-0154 or by emailing mlrichards@hannibal-mo.gov.