Mexican Free-Tailed Bats | Deep in the Heart

Bracken Cave hosts one of the largest compounds of Mexican free-tailed bats. This is a maternity colony and the females migrate from Mexico to Texas each year to feed on insects during the summer and to raise new pups.

At five weeks old, the youngsters have already grown to adult size and are preparing to take their first flight. Airspace is crowded, for Bracken Cave contains 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats, and is the largest congregation of mammals on earth.

Students will identify the basic needs of these organisms and how these needs are met in their environment. By watching clips from the film, Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story students will observe similarities and differences between parents and off-spring. This lesson includes vocabulary and discussion questions about bats. Student resources are available in English and Spanish.