It's almost time for the bats in Wyandotte Caves to hibernate, but when they wake up in the summer, Indiana State Parks will reopen the cave for visitors.
The cave was closed along with others in Indiana in 2010 in part because white nose syndrome — a disease visitors can carry on their shoes — was killing endangered bats in Indiana.
Now, the parks department plans to stop the fungus from entering Wyandotte.
"Yeah, it's on their shoes, and we anticipate that we will use some cleaning devices as people come in and go out of the cave, that's a part of the discussion about the best way to handle that," Ginger Murphy, the Indiana State Parks deputy director for stewardship said.
Wyandotte also needed electrical and safety upgrades, and the parks department didn't have the funding.
Now they have about $1.1 million for electrical design work, new safety equipment and a new office.
After the renovations are complete, the department will offer 30-minute tours in Little Wyandotte, two-hour guided tours for a general audience in Big Wyandotte and Adventure Tours for experienced cavers.