Brief by Central Staff
Wildlife – May 2005 – Colorado Central Magazine
Years ago, one of us went on a field trip sponsored by the local Audubon Society. The object was not birds, but bats – thousands of Brazilian free-tail bats emerging at sunset for a night of devouring bugs. They flew out from their summer home at the old Orient Iron Mine east of Villa Grove near Valley View Hot Springs.
This summer, there will be more frequent opportunities to see the bats emerge – but only if the Orient Land Trust can enlist more volunteer bat tour guides.
It is believed to be the largest bat colony in Colorado, with about 250,000 residents who summer here and spend their winters in the tropics. The Orient Mine produced iron ore for the Colorado Fuel & Iron mill in Pueblo from about 1881 until 1938.
Tour guides don’t have to be wildlife biologists or history buffs; they’ll get training so they can walk groups up to the Glory Hole at the mine and present an informal talk on the history of the mine and the natural history of the bats. According to the OLT, “The position necessitates a commitment to guide a certain number of trips, but is flexible regarding when volunteers want to service.” Guides will be needed from late June into early September.
If you’re interested in guiding (or taking the tour), call the OLT at 719-256-5212 or email programs@olt.org.
