Kreta Umweltforum: Höhlen

Caves

There are more than 5,000 caves on Crete. They are a unique and vulnerable part of our natural history heritage and perform a fascination to human since ever. Significant archives of the history of Earth lie down where present and past meet. Caves contain valuable information about the development of human cultures and the wildlife as well as provide information about the creation of the landscape and the effects of climate and environmental changes.
Crete has half dozen caves that can be safely toured by a competent lead. Our leaflets present this in particular but also “pristine” caves. If you plan to discover untouched “pristine” caves, please abide the following principles: Never join a cave alone. A certain amount of experience, appropriate equipment and caution should be granted. These include the respectful treatment of these sensitive natural phenomena. Therefore 3 guidance rules every visitor of a cave should take on board:
Rule 1: Destroy nothing! Do not damage stalactites or calc-sinter formations; do not scratch words into cave walls, do not hit anything dead and respect the hibernation (bats).
Rule 2: Do not take anything away! Do not knock of anything to take it away as a souvenir. Keep discoveries at their place and inform authorities. Excavations in deposits in front and in the cave are prohibited (preservation order).
Rule 3:Do not let anything back! No fire in front of caves (smoke moves into the cave), no use of torches as light source (coom production), take away your waste.

Openings in untouched caves are narrow and close. They are not isolated entities but almost part of a large karst system, involved in a total cycle.

The figure shows “active” stalactites in the Gerani cave. A stalactite is a limestone, hanging from the cave ceiling. His counterpart is the stalagmite, “growing” from the ground. Both words derive from the Greek στάλαγ μα (same as σταλαγμό ς, drop). Picture: Maria Eleftheria.

Caves

Leaflets