Conservation
The cave environment is more fragile than most people realise. Since water that flows through a cave eventually comes out in streams and rivers, any pollution will end up in drinking water and can seriously affect the surface environment as well.
Cave-adapted living species are most fragile, and a particular species found in a cave may have evolved within that cave alone, and be found nowhere else in the world. Cave-adapted species are accustomed to a near-constant climate of temperature and humidity, and any disturbance can be disruptive to the species' life cycles. You may not even be able to see wildlife in the cave, but it is present in most caves.
 |
 Take
nothing but pictures. Don´t even leave footprints if you can
avoid it. Kill nothing but time. What we have now is all there will
ever be. |
| caver's motto |
Bats are one such fragile species of cave-dwelling animal. Despite their scary reputation in fiction and in the movies, bats have much more to fear from us than we do from them. Bats are friends to humans in many ways, including their important ecological role in reducing insect pest populations, and in the pollenisation of plant species.
Bats are most vulnerable during the winter hibernation season, when no food supply exists on the surface to replenish the bat's store of energy should it be awakened from hibernation. If you plan to visit to a cave where bats are known to hibernate, consider scheduling your trip during the warmer months when bats are less vulnerable. Be respectful of bats when you encounter them; they are sensitive to both light and sound.
It is best to educate oneself on the life forms found within the caves one explores. Consider contacting the Biology department of a University located in the cave region.
Some cave passages may be marked with flagging tape or other indicators to show biologically, aesthetically, or archaeologically sensitive areas. Please respect these markings, and the judgement of those who placed them there, and stay on indicated trails through such passages. A beautiful floor of sand or silt may be millions of years old, dating from the last time water flowed through the cave. Such deposits may be spoiled forever by a single mis-step.
Active formations such as flowstone can be similarly despoiled with a muddy footprint or handprint. Ancient human artefacts, such as fibre products, can crumble to dust under the touch of any but the most careful archaeologist.
Organised cave groups often sponsor volunteer efforts to educate the public, and to help preserve or conserve underground wilderness. If you enjoy caving, seriously consider donations of time, money, or talent to these efforts.
