Night Hike

Now that autumn is arriving in Hannibal, so are the Indiana bats arriving at their hibernacula, the caves at Sodalis Nature Preserve where they spend the winter.
There are two “Bats are Back” Night Hikes through Sodalis Nature Preserve planned:
• 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9
• 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service information, female bats enter hibernation shortly after arriving at hibernacula, but males remain active until late autumn to breed with females arriving late.
Most Indiana bats hibernate from October through April. Occasionally, Indiana bats are found hibernating singly, but almost all are found hibernating in dense clusters.
The night hikes are scheduled in time for participants to see the bats at sunset.
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 is a strict limit of 20 participants and reservations must be made by calling Hannibal Parks & Recreation at 221-0154 or by emailing [email protected].
Nature programs and hikes are led by Gale Rublee, a nationally certified interpreter guide with more than 25 years of experience in outdoor education.