Cave Conservation
Pictures Courtesy of Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Most of us that go caving will start in better known areas that have marked paths to show ways around notably fragile areas.
But don't let your guard down, a pristine floor of sand or silt dating from the last time water flowed through the cave is precious to future visitors as well as the species that live in that cave.
These deposits may easily be spoiled forever by a single misplaced step.
Active formations such as the sheet like deposits of calcite called flowstone can be similarly marred with a muddy footprint or handprint.
Ancient human artifacts, such as fiber products, may even crumble to dust under the lightest of accidental touches.
Though cave wildlife may not always be immediately visible, it is typically present in most caves.
Cave-dwelling species are also very fragile. Often a particular species found in a specific cave may live only in that cave and nowhere else in the world.
They are accustomed to a nearly constant temperature and humidity, and any disturbance can be disruptive to the species' life cycles.