I have a lot of unpopular opinions, and this is one of them: I think bats are simply adorable.
I understand why people are frightened of them. But they’re like tiny black foxes with wings. They eat fruit and sleep upside-down like little idiots. They’re the most widely dispersed group of mammal, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Several tropical fruits rely on bats for their seed distribution. Most importantly, if bats became extinct, the insect population would increase at an alarming rate. And insects are not adorable.
If you share my affinity for bats, you’ll be excited to hear about Outdoor Chattanooga’s Nickajack Bat Cave Canoe Tour this Friday. And if you don’t, then here’s your opportunity to gain one.
Outdoor Chattanooga will host a guided canoe trip to Nickajack Cave. Here, thousands of endangered grey bats come every summer to raise their young. You’ll start at twilight (7:30) on a leisurely canoe to the mouth of Nickajack cave, arriving just in time to see the bats fly out of the cave to start their nightly feeding. Grey bats eat only insects, and you remember how important it is for bats to eat insects. Afterwards, you’ll paddle back to the launch after dark, hopefully with a newfound appreciation for such cool little creatures.
This special opportunity is family-friendly, available for adults and children (ages 5 and over), and requires little to no experience with canoeing. However, the trip is limited to fourteen participants, so act fast. Register by calling Outdoor Chattanooga.