Cova de les Rates Penades

Known to fishermen since time immemorial. The first written mention corresponds to Faura, who mentions it in 1923 in the memoir of the sheet of the Servei Geològic de Catalunya corresponding to Sant Feliu de Guíxols. Although at the beginning of the 20th century some postcards of the cavity had already been published.

The first specific details about the cavity are not published until 1963.

Collado and Sandoval (1999) say that the most appropriate name would be Cova de les Rates Pinyades (ratapinyades would be the most correct), which is what appeared on the old postcards and what the people of the area say. We have really seen it written in every possible way.

The name of the cavity already indicates explicitly enough that inside it there is an important colony (perhaps now not so much) of bats.

Senent (1963) indicates that at times it could exceed 500 individuals, especially of Miniopterus schreibersi, characterised by its long-distance migrations. The cavity could represent a midway point of the journey between the cavities near Barcelona (Avenc del Daví, etc.) and the caves of S France.

He also says that on one occasion he was able to see a specimen of Myotis myotis.