Bats versus bicyclists

Old W. Md. rail tunnel attracts both, but coexistence in doubt

Rail tunnels are not normally good bat hibernacula, according to Bat Conservation International. Smooth, straight and wide open at both ends, they offer fewer hiding places than natural caves and expose hibernating bats to cold, drying winter winds.

The fact that so many bats use Indigo anyway, Kennedy said, "shows there aren't any better roosts nearby. ... That makes the site a much higher priority for conservation because there aren't any options for the bats to go to."

Kennedy's report to the DNR did not oppose running the rail trail through the tunnel. Instead, it suggested a range of options.

Best for the bats, it said, would be to close the tunnel at one end, seasonally or permanently, stabilizing winter temperature and humidity. Bikers could bypass Indigo by transferring to the nearby unpaved towpath for about a mile and a half.

The tunnel could even be developed for bats and bat-watchers during the fall swarming season. Kennedy said Old Tunnel and Clarity Tunnel in Texas are both managed specifically for bats: "Old Tunnel attracts tens of thousands of people a year."

Edwards expressed hope for compromise. "They all need to sit down at the table and talk about it," he said.