Sodalis Nature Preserve makes Hannibal a bat town too

Sodalis Nature Preserve gives Hannibal a story most people do not expect. Hannibal Parks describes a 191-acre preserve tied to federally endangered Indiana bats, whose scientific name, Myotis sodalis, gives the preserve its name.

The bats hibernate in a former limestone mine and nearby cave network. Hannibal Parks reports more than 222,000 Indiana bats there, about one-third of all known Indiana bats. The old mine entrances have special gates that let bats move in and out while keeping people out.

That is a memorable local detail, but it is also practical. The preserve has public trail access, including a paved loop and unpaved routes, while the most sensitive cave and mine areas are protected.

For a Marion County page, Sodalis keeps Hannibal from being only a historic-river-town story. It is also a wildlife town, with old limestone workings turned into habitat and public green space.