Watch Millions Of Bats Take To The Skies This Summer At The Selman Bat Watch In Oklahoma
By Ashley|Published April 19, 2020
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Ashley
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Ashley has lived in Oklahoma for 30 years and is the Oklahoma staff writer for onlyinyourstate.com. When she isn't writing about Oklahoma, she enjoys visiting the beach and exploring new areas.
Every summer, millions of Mexican free-tailed bats pour from the Selman Bat Cave to feed on insects, and you can view it through the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s Wildlife Diversity Program. Registration opens up to the public next month and typically fills up fast, so keep scrolling to get all the details so you’re not left out on this wildly popular event.
The Mexican free-tailed bats travel over 1,400 miles every year to give birth to their young and care for them in this protected area. The bat cave is closed to the public except for special events, and during July it is open on eight select nights for only a limited number of visitors who pre-register.
The Selman Batcave Wildlife Management Area is located near the Alabaster Caverns State Park. If you attend the bat watch, you'll meet at the park and travel by bus to the Selman Bat Cave.
For guests that would like to participate in a group led nature walk, a tour guide will lead you on a short, 1/4 mile walk and educate you on the area. For your safety and for the bats, the caves will not be toured.
These bat watching events occur the four weekends after the 4th of July on Friday and Saturday evenings. Only 75 guests are allowed on each night, so be sure to register early.
The area is located on 340-acres of beautiful land in northwestern Oklahoma and is only one of four maternity colonies for Mexican free-tailed bats in the state. Registration opens up on May 26, 2020, and all visitors are drawn from a pool of mailed-in registration forms.