Morgue Caves
Over the course of two hundred years, the local residents of Līgatne have carved around 330 cellar caves into the sandstone outcrops for their own use. These man-made caves have also found a purpose as wintering sites for bats. In Līgatne, these nocturnal animals, which are active during dusk and dawn, are often seen silhouetted against the sky. Bats need a narrow crevice in the rock of only 1.3–2 centimetres to hibernate undisturbed from about October to May. All eight species of bats that hibernate in underground shelters in Latvia can be found in the Līgatne caves: the northern bat, the long-eared bat, the European broad-eared bat, and five species of noctule bats. Bats have also chosen the longest cave passage in Līgatne, the ‘Beiwerk’ or ‘Remdenkalns’ caves, as a wintering spot. The main passage of this cave is 56 metres long, and together with the final cellar, it totals 59 metres, with 28 cellars carved out in total.
The hibernation of bats can be easily disturbed by torches, candle smoke, camera flashes, or any bright light, including loud noises, which can be hazardous to bats. Therefore, intentional disturbance is prohibited by law, and human presence in the caves during hibernation is discouraged.
