Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve |
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 Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve
Location in Virginia
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| Location | Lee County, Virginia |
| Area | 171 acres (69 ha) |
| Established | 2004 |
| Governing body | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve is a special protected area in Lee County, Virginia. It covers about 171 acres of land. This preserve helps protect the entrance to Unthanks Cave, which is home to many different kinds of tiny animals. The cave is also important because its streams drain a large area of karst land. Karst is a type of landscape where the bedrock, like limestone, dissolves easily, creating caves and sinkholes.
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Discovering Unthanks Cave
This preserve is managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. It was established in 2004 to keep the cave and its unique creatures safe. The cave itself is about 7 miles long!
The only known entrance to this long cave was bought by The Nature Conservancy in 1987. This was the first cave system in Virginia that the organization ever bought. In 2004, The Nature Conservancy gave the property to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. However, they still help with research at the site.
Why is Unthanks Cave Protected?
Unthanks Cave is home to many different kinds of invertebrate life. Invertebrates are animals without a backbone, like insects, snails, and worms. The cave's streams are very important. They collect water from a large karst area south of the Powell River.
Amazing Cave Creatures
Unthanks Cave is famous for the rare animals that live inside. These creatures have adapted to life in the dark.
Unique Snails
A very rare type of snail, called a hydrobiid snail, was first found in Unthanks Cave in 1986. This snail is named Holsingeria unthanksensis. It has since been found in other cave streams in Lee County. Another group of these snails was even found about 500 kilometers north in Skyline Caverns.
Besides Holsingeria unthanksensis, another unusual hydrobiid snail lives here. These tiny snails are a big reason why the cave is protected.
Other Special Animals
Other unique species found in Unthanks Cave include:
- The Powell Valley planarian (Sphalloplana consimilis). A planarian is a type of flatworm.
- The Southwest Virginia cave isopod (Caecidotea recurvata). Isopods are small crustaceans, like roly-polies.
- A cave-dwelling carabid beetle. This is a type of beetle that lives in caves.
These animals are very special because they are found in very few places. Protecting Unthanks Cave helps keep these rare species safe.
Visiting Unthanks Cave
In the past, Unthanks Cave was a popular spot for spelunkers. Spelunkers are people who explore caves. They enjoyed seeing the cave's large speleothems. Speleothems are formations like stalactites and stalagmites that grow in caves.
Today, Unthanks Cave is gated. This means it has a gate at its entrance. The cave is not open to the public for general visits. It can only be accessed for official scientific monitoring and research. This helps protect the cave's delicate environment and its unique inhabitants.
