The Magazine Mine Bat Roost
The Magazine mine is vitally important as a roost site due to its very unique configuration. This abandoned mine was originally mined by th UNIMIN Corporation for its Silica mineral. Silica has a key property in that it absorbs moisture, thus the mine site is very dry. This is critically important because this low humidity blocks the growth of the fungus Geomycis destructans, which has been infecting bats throughout the eastern United States. This fungal infection called White-nose Syndrome has been killing millions of winter colonial roosting bats, but the Magazine Mine has offered safe harbor for local bat populations. Currently the mine contains a colony of 65,000 endangerd Indiana bats as well as a variety of other species. By protecting this roosting site our conservancy is playing an pivitol role in protecting the very existence of these endangered species.