Located in the Hill Country between Austin and San Antonio, Bracken Cave is home to the largest bat colony in the world. On summer evenings, visitors gather at the mouth of the cave to watch 15 million bats spiral into the air and begin their nightly hunt for food.

Texan by Nature partnered with Bat Conservation International in a two-year effort to align and connect resources in support of the private purchase of 1,500 acres adjoining Bracken Cave that were slated for a 3,500 home residential development.

Texan by Nature was able to provide critical visibility and assist in donor cultivation to arrive at a solution that made business sense for the developer while helping to secure this critical habitat with additional benefits for aquifer protection and adjoining Golden-Cheeked Warbler habitat.

“We had to find a way to influence both private and public decision makers to gain support for the acquisition of the tract, which required strong support from within Texas’ conservation leadership. There was no better ally than Texan by Nature in bringing this to the attention of such individuals.”

– Andy Walker, Executive Director, Bat Conservation International