Bacardi Builds Bat Caves At Florida Facility

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JACKSONVILLE (CBSMiami/AP) - Barcardi has gone batty. Literally.

The iconic rum maker has added bat habitats to its Jacksonville bottling facility.

The Bermuda-based company said the three wooden "bat caves" that stand 20 feet off the ground are part of a partnership with Lubee Bat Conservancy. The conservancy's director says there are four bat species found on the Bacardi property.

Wildlife experts will monitor the bat populations, but no cameras have been placed in the caves. The three habitats can house up to 500 bats.

According to Bacardi's statement, the company has supported bat conservation since 1862 when the founder's wife spotted a colony of fruit bats in its first distillery in Cuba. A bat logo remains on every bottle of Bacardi rum.

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