Jump to content

Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve

Add links
Coordinates: 36°36′52″N 83°13′36″W / 36.61433°N 83.22672°W / 36.61433; -83.22672
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Ser Amantio di Nicolao (talk | contribs) at 20:51, 22 February 2023 (added Category:2004 establishments in Virginia using HotCat). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve
Map showing the location of Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve
Map showing the location of Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve
Location within Virginia
Map showing the location of Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve
Map showing the location of Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve
Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve (the United States)
LocationLee County, Virginia
Coordinates36°36′52″N 83°13′36″W / 36.61433°N 83.22672°W / 36.61433; -83.22672[1]
Area171 acres (69 ha)
Established2004 (2004)
Governing bodyVirginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve is a 171-acre (69 ha) Natural Area Preserve in Lee County, Virginia. It protects the entrance to Unthanks Cave, which houses significant biological diversity and a wide variety of invertebrate life. The cave's streams drain a significant karst area south of the Powell River.[2]

A rare species of hydrobiid snail was first discovered in Unthanks Cave in 1986.[3] Holsingeria unthanksensis, also known as the thankless ghostsnail, has since been found in additional cave streams in Lee County, with an additional population noted 310 miles (500 km) north in Skyline Caverns.[4] Additional unusual species found within the cave include a second hydrobiid snail, the Powell Valley planarian (Sphalloplana consimilis), the Southwest Virginia cave isopod (Caecidotea recurvata), and a cave-dwelling carabid beetle.[5]

The only known entrance to the seven-mile-long (11 km) cave was purchased by The Nature Conservancy in 1987, and was the first cave system purchased in Virginia by the organization.[6] The Nature Conservancy gave the property to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation in 2004,[2] although they continue to conduct research at the site.[5]

Although previously popular with spelunkers due to the cave's large speleothems,[6] Unthanks Cave is today gated and inaccessible except for official scientific monitoring and inquiry.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Virginia Conservation Lands Database". Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve". Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
  3. ^ Hershler, R. (1989). "Holsingeria unthanksensis, a new genus and species of aquatic cavesnail from eastern North America" (PDF). Malacological Review. 22 (1–2): 93–100. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  4. ^ Dillon, R. T., Jr.; Watson, B.T.; Stewart, T. W. (2006). "Species Account: Holsingeria unthanksensis". Freshwater Gastropods of North America. Department of Biology, College of Charleston. Retrieved December 27, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ a b "About Unthanks Cave in Virginia". Nature.org. The Nature Conservancy. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  6. ^ a b Lazarus, Elizabeth (June 25, 1987). "Conservancy Buys Cave with Rare Species". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 27, 2016.


This article related to a protected area in Virginia is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Stub icon

This Lee County, Virginia state location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Unthanks_Cave_Natural_Area_Preserve&oldid=1140996065"