"The Bracken Bat Cave, just north of San Antonio, is as rural as it gets. You have to drive down a long, 2-mile rocky road to reach it. There's nothing nearby — no lights, no running water. The only thing you hear are the katydids."

"The cave houses a massive bat colony, as it has for an estimated 10,000 years. Bat Conservation International, the group that oversees the Bracken Cave Reserve, wants it to stay secluded, but the area's rural nature could change if a local developer's plan moves forward.

Andy Walker, BCI's director, doesn't understand why there's any discussion about building a nearly 4,000-home subdivision right next door. The proposal, he says, 'really instills an even deeper sense of stewardship for this land and these bats.'"

Ryan Loyd reports for NPR's All Things Considered June 11, 2013. [2]