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<span>Etymology</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Etymology-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-History" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#History"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>History</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-History-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Practice_and_equipment" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Practice_and_equipment"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Practice and equipment</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Practice_and_equipment-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Safety" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Safety"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Safety</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Safety-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Cave_conservation" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Cave_conservation"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>Cave conservation</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Cave_conservation-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Caving_organizations" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Caving_organizations"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>Caving organizations</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Caving_organizations-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" title="Table of Contents" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox 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Available in 27 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-27" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">27 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D9%87%D9%88%D9%81" title="ريادة الكهوف – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="ريادة الكهوف" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%B6hlenwandern" title="Höhlenwandern – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Höhlenwandern" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-et mw-list-item"><a href="https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speleomatkamine" title="Speleomatkamine – Estonian" lang="et" hreflang="et" data-title="Speleomatkamine" data-language-autonym="Eesti" data-language-local-name="Estonian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Eesti</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espele%C3%ADsmo" title="Espeleísmo – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Espeleísmo" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eu mw-list-item"><a href="https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espeleoabentura" title="Espeleoabentura – Basque" lang="eu" hreflang="eu" data-title="Espeleoabentura" data-language-autonym="Euskara" data-language-local-name="Basque" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Euskara</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%AF%DB%8C" title="غارنوردی – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="غارنوردی" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sp%C3%A9l%C3%A9ologie_(techniques)" title="Spéléologie (techniques) – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Spéléologie (techniques)" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%BC%80%EC%9D%B4%EB%B9%99" title="케이빙 – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="케이빙" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susur_gua" title="Susur gua – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Susur gua" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he badge-Q70894304 mw-list-item" title=""><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9E%D7%A2%D7%A8%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%AA" title="מערנות – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="מערנות" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-kk mw-list-item"><a href="https://kk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%BF%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BE%D1%82%D1%83%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%BC" title="Спелеотуризм – Kazakh" lang="kk" hreflang="kk" data-title="Спелеотуризм" data-language-autonym="Қазақша" data-language-local-name="Kazakh" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Қазақша</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ku mw-list-item"><a href="https://ku.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Eikeftvan%C3%AE" title="Şikeftvanî – Kurdish" lang="ku" hreflang="ku" data-title="Şikeftvanî" data-language-autonym="Kurdî" data-language-local-name="Kurdish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Kurdî</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hu mw-list-item"><a href="https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barlang%C3%A1szat" title="Barlangászat – Hungarian" lang="hu" hreflang="hu" data-title="Barlangászat" data-language-autonym="Magyar" data-language-local-name="Hungarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Magyar</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%93%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B0" title="ケイビング – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="ケイビング" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grotting" title="Grotting – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="Grotting" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpinizm_jaskiniowy" title="Alpinizm jaskiniowy – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Alpinizm jaskiniowy" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavernismo" title="Cavernismo – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Cavernismo" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ro mw-list-item"><a href="https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speologie" title="Speologie – Romanian" lang="ro" hreflang="ro" data-title="Speologie" data-language-autonym="Română" data-language-local-name="Romanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Română</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%BF%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BE%D1%82%D1%83%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%BC" title="Спелеотуризм – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Спелеотуризм" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-simple mw-list-item"><a href="https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caving" title="Caving – Simple English" lang="en-simple" hreflang="en-simple" data-title="Caving" data-language-autonym="Simple English" data-language-local-name="Simple English" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Simple English</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sl mw-list-item"><a href="https://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamarstvo" title="Jamarstvo – Slovenian" lang="sl" hreflang="sl" data-title="Jamarstvo" data-language-autonym="Slovenščina" data-language-local-name="Slovenian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Slovenščina</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fi mw-list-item"><a href="https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luolatutkimus" title="Luolatutkimus – Finnish" lang="fi" hreflang="fi" data-title="Luolatutkimus" 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hreflang="uk" data-title="Спелеотуризм" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-vi mw-list-item"><a href="https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%A1m_hi%E1%BB%83m_hang_%C4%91%E1%BB%99ng" title="Thám hiểm hang động – Vietnamese" lang="vi" hreflang="vi" data-title="Thám hiểm hang động" data-language-autonym="Tiếng Việt" data-language-local-name="Vietnamese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Tiếng Việt</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B4%9E%E7%A9%B4%E6%8E%A2%E9%9A%AA" title="洞穴探險 – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" data-title="洞穴探險" data-language-autonym="中文" data-language-local-name="Chinese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>中文</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit wb-langlinks-link"><a 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data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.unpin">hide</button> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div id="bodyContent" class="vector-body" aria-labelledby="firstHeading" data-mw-ve-target-container> <div class="vector-body-before-content"> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Recreational pastime of exploring cave systems</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">"Caver" redirects here. For other uses, see <a href="/wiki/Caver_(disambiguation)" class="mw-disambig" title="Caver (disambiguation)">Caver (disambiguation)</a>.</div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">"Potholing" redirects here. The term may also refer to digging small deep holes to look for buried <a href="/wiki/Public_utilities" class="mw-redirect" title="Public utilities">public utilities</a>: see <a href="/wiki/Vacuum_excavation" class="mw-redirect" title="Vacuum excavation">Vacuum excavation</a>.</div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Caving2.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="A man caving in muddy passage with helictite formations on the walls and ceiling" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Caving2.jpg/220px-Caving2.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="165" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Caving2.jpg/330px-Caving2.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Caving2.jpg/440px-Caving2.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="768" /></a><figcaption>Caving in a muddy section of <a href="/wiki/Black_Chasm_Cave" title="Black Chasm Cave">Black Chasm Cave</a> in <a href="/wiki/California" title="California">California</a></figcaption></figure> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Alabama_cave_2005-04-24.km.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Alabama_cave_2005-04-24.km.jpg/220px-Alabama_cave_2005-04-24.km.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="293" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Alabama_cave_2005-04-24.km.jpg/330px-Alabama_cave_2005-04-24.km.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Alabama_cave_2005-04-24.km.jpg/440px-Alabama_cave_2005-04-24.km.jpg 2x" data-file-width="576" data-file-height="768" /></a><figcaption>Stephens Gap, a vertical cave in <a href="/wiki/Alabama" title="Alabama">Alabama</a></figcaption></figure> <p><b>Caving</b>, also known as <b>spelunking</b> (United States and Canada) and <b>potholing</b> (United Kingdom and Ireland), is the recreational <a href="/wiki/Pastime" class="mw-redirect" title="Pastime">pastime</a> of exploring wild <a href="/wiki/Cave" title="Cave">cave</a> systems (as distinguished from <a href="/wiki/Show_cave" title="Show cave">show caves</a>). In contrast, <a href="/wiki/Speleology" title="Speleology">speleology</a> is the scientific study of caves and the cave environment.<sup id="cite_ref-CAVE1_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CAVE1-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The challenges involved in caving vary according to the cave being visited; in addition to the total absence of light beyond the entrance, negotiating <a href="/wiki/Pitch_(ascent/descent)" class="mw-redirect" title="Pitch (ascent/descent)">pitches</a>, squeezes,<sup id="cite_ref-CHALL_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CHALL-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and water hazards can be difficult.<sup id="cite_ref-CAVENZ_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CAVENZ-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Cave_diving" title="Cave diving">Cave diving</a> is a distinct, and more hazardous, sub-speciality undertaken by a small minority of technically proficient cavers.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In an area of overlap between recreational pursuit and scientific study, the most devoted and serious-minded cavers become accomplished at the <a href="/wiki/Cave_survey" title="Cave survey">surveying and mapping of caves</a> and the formal publication of their efforts. These are usually published freely and publicly, especially in the UK and other European countries, although in the US they are generally more private. </p><p>Although caving is sometimes categorized as an "<a href="/wiki/Extreme_sport" title="Extreme sport">extreme sport</a>," cavers do not commonly use this terminology and typically dislike the term being used in reference to caving, as it implies a disregard for safety.<sup id="cite_ref-CHALL_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CHALL-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Many caving skills overlap with those involved in <a href="/wiki/Canyoning" title="Canyoning">canyoning</a> and <a href="/wiki/Mine_exploration" title="Mine exploration">mine</a> and <a href="/wiki/Urban_exploration" title="Urban exploration">urban exploration</a>. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Motivation">Motivation</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Caving&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Motivation"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Caving is often undertaken for the enjoyment of the <a href="/wiki/Outdoor_activity" class="mw-redirect" title="Outdoor activity">outdoor activity</a> or for physical exercise, as well as original exploration, similar to <a href="/wiki/Mountaineering" title="Mountaineering">mountaineering</a> or <a href="/wiki/Underwater_diving" title="Underwater diving">diving</a>. Physical or biological science is also an important goal for some cavers, while others are engaged in cave photography.<sup id="cite_ref-CHALL_2-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CHALL-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Virgin cave systems comprise some of the last unexplored regions on <a href="/wiki/Earth" title="Earth">Earth</a> and much effort is put into trying to locate, enter and survey them. In well-explored regions (such as most developed nations), the most accessible caves have already been explored, and gaining access to new caves often requires <a href="/wiki/Cave_digging" title="Cave digging">cave digging</a> or cave diving. </p><p>Caving, in certain areas, has also been utilized as a form of eco and adventure tourism, for example <a href="/wiki/Caving_in_New_Zealand" title="Caving in New Zealand">in New Zealand</a>. Tour companies have established an industry leading and guiding tours into and through caves. Depending on the type of cave and the type of tour, the experience could be adventure-based or ecological-based. There are tours led through lava tubes by a guiding service (e.g. <a href="/wiki/Lava_River_Cave" title="Lava River Cave">Lava River Cave</a>, the oceanic islands of <a href="/wiki/Cueva_del_Viento" title="Cueva del Viento">Tenerife</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://cave.is/caves-in-iceland/leidarendi-cave/">Iceland</a> and <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/craterrimtour_tube.htm">Hawaii</a>). </p><p>Caving has also been described as an "individualist's team sport" by some,<sup id="cite_ref-CAVENZ_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CAVENZ-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> as cavers can often make a trip without direct physical assistance from others but will generally go in a group for companionship or to provide emergency help if needed. Some however consider the assistance cavers give each other as a typical team sport activity.<sup id="cite_ref-REALU_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-REALU-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Etymology">Etymology</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Caving&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Etymology"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div><p> The term <i>potholing</i> refers to the act of exploring <i>potholes</i>, a word originating in the north of <a href="/wiki/England" title="England">England</a> for predominantly <a href="/wiki/Vertical_caving" class="mw-redirect" title="Vertical caving">vertical caves</a>.</p><figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Caveman-ic.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Caveman-ic.jpg/170px-Caveman-ic.jpg" decoding="async" width="170" height="170" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Caveman-ic.jpg/255px-Caveman-ic.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Caveman-ic.jpg/340px-Caveman-ic.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1413" data-file-height="1413" /></a><figcaption>Caving in the north of <a href="/wiki/England" title="England">England</a></figcaption></figure> <p><a href="/wiki/Clay_Perry" title="Clay Perry">Clay Perry</a>, an American caver of the 1940s, wrote about a group of men and boys who explored and studied caves throughout <a href="/wiki/New_England" title="New England">New England</a>. This group referred to themselves as <i>spelunkers</i>, a term derived<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> from the <a href="/wiki/Latin" title="Latin">Latin</a> <i><span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">spēlunca</i></span></i> ("cave, cavern, den").<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This is regarded as the first use of the word in the <a href="/wiki/Americas" title="Americas">Americas</a>. Throughout the 1950s, <i>spelunking</i> was the general term used for exploring caves in <a href="/wiki/American_English" title="American English">US English</a>. It was used freely, without any positive or negative connotations, although only rarely outside the US. </p><p>In the 1960s, the terms <i>spelunking</i> and <i>spelunker</i> began to be considered <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/d%C3%A9class%C3%A9" class="extiw" title="wiktionary:déclassé">déclassé</a> among experienced enthusiasts. In 1985, Steve Knutson – editor of the <a href="/wiki/National_Speleological_Society" title="National Speleological Society">National Speleological Society</a> (NSS) publication <i>American Caving Accidents</i> – made the following distinction: </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1244412712">.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 32px}.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;margin-top:0}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{padding-left:1.6em}}</style><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>…Note that (in this case) the term 'spelunker' denotes someone untrained and unknowledgeable in current exploration techniques, and 'caver' is for those who are.</p></blockquote> <p>This sentiment is exemplified by <a href="/wiki/Bumper_sticker" title="Bumper sticker">bumper stickers</a> and T-shirts displayed by some cavers: "Cavers rescue spelunkers". Nevertheless, outside the caving community, "spelunking" and "spelunkers" predominately remain neutral terms referring to the practice and practitioners, without any respect to skill level. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Caving&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: History"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In the mid-19th century, <a href="/wiki/John_Birkbeck" title="John Birkbeck">John Birkbeck</a> explored potholes in England, notably <a href="/wiki/Gaping_Gill" title="Gaping Gill">Gaping Gill</a> in 1842 and <a href="/wiki/Alum_Pot" title="Alum Pot">Alum Pot</a> in 1847–8, returning there in the 1870s. In the mid-1880s, <a href="/wiki/Herbert_E._Balch" title="Herbert E. Balch">Herbert E. Balch</a> began exploring <a href="/wiki/Wookey_Hole_Caves" title="Wookey Hole Caves">Wookey Hole Caves</a> and in the 1890s, Balch was introduced to the <a href="/wiki/Caves_of_the_Mendip_Hills" title="Caves of the Mendip Hills">caves of the Mendip Hills</a>. One of the oldest established caving clubs, <a href="/wiki/Yorkshire_Ramblers%27_Club" title="Yorkshire Ramblers' Club">Yorkshire Ramblers' Club</a>, was founded in 1892.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Caving as a specialized pursuit was pioneered by <a href="/wiki/%C3%89douard-Alfred_Martel" title="Édouard-Alfred Martel">Édouard-Alfred Martel</a> (1859–1938), who first achieved the descent and exploration of the <a href="/wiki/Gouffre_de_Padirac" class="mw-redirect" title="Gouffre de Padirac">Gouffre de Padirac</a>, in France, as early as 1889 and the first complete descent of a 110-metre wet vertical shaft at Gaping Gill in 1895. He developed his own techniques based on ropes and metallic ladders. Martel visited <a href="/wiki/Kentucky" title="Kentucky">Kentucky</a> and notably <a href="/wiki/Mammoth_Cave_National_Park" title="Mammoth Cave National Park">Mammoth Cave National Park</a> in October 1912. In the 1920s famous US caver <a href="/wiki/Floyd_Collins" title="Floyd Collins">Floyd Collins</a> made important explorations in the area and in the 1930s, as caving became increasingly popular, small exploration teams both in the <a href="/wiki/Alps" title="Alps">Alps</a> and in the karstic high plateaus of southwest France (<a href="/wiki/Causses" title="Causses">Causses</a> and <a href="/wiki/Pyrenees" title="Pyrenees">Pyrenees</a>) transformed cave exploration into both a scientific and recreational activity. <a href="/wiki/Robert_de_Joly" title="Robert de Joly">Robert de Joly</a>, <a href="/w/index.php?title=Guy_de_Lavaur&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Guy de Lavaur (page does not exist)">Guy de Lavaur</a> and <a href="/wiki/Norbert_Casteret" title="Norbert Casteret">Norbert Casteret</a> were prominent figures of that time, surveying mostly caves in Southwest France. </p><p>During <a href="/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a>, an alpine team composed of <a href="/wiki/Pierre_Chevalier_(caver)" title="Pierre Chevalier (caver)">Pierre Chevalier</a>, <a href="/wiki/Fernand_Petzl" title="Fernand Petzl">Fernand Petzl</a>, Charles Petit-Didier and others explored the <a href="/wiki/Dent_de_Crolles" title="Dent de Crolles">Dent de Crolles</a> cave system near <a href="/wiki/Grenoble" title="Grenoble">Grenoble</a>, which became the deepest explored system in the world (-658m) at that time. The lack of available equipment during the war forced Pierre Chevalier and the rest of the team to develop their own equipment, leading to technical innovation. The scaling-pole (1940), nylon ropes (1942), use of explosives in caves (1947) and mechanical rope-ascenders (Henri Brenot's "monkeys", first used by Chevalier and Brenot in a cave in 1934) can be directly associated to the exploration of the Dent de Crolles cave system.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p>In 1941, American cavers organized themselves into the <a href="/wiki/National_Speleological_Society" title="National Speleological Society">National Speleological Society</a> (NSS) to advance the exploration, conservation, study and understanding of caves in the United States. American caver <a href="/w/index.php?title=Bill_Cuddington&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Bill Cuddington (page does not exist)">Bill Cuddington</a>, known as "Vertical Bill", further developed the <a href="/wiki/Single-rope_technique" title="Single-rope technique">single-rope technique</a> (SRT) in the late 1950s. In 1958, two Swiss alpinists, Juesi and Marti teamed together, creating the first rope ascender known as the <a href="/wiki/Jumar" class="mw-redirect" title="Jumar">Jumar</a>. In 1968 Bruno Dressler asked Fernand Petzl, who worked as a metals machinist, to build a rope-ascending tool, today known as the <a href="/wiki/Petzl_Croll" title="Petzl Croll">Petzl Croll</a>, that he had developed by adapting the Jumar to vertical caving. Pursuing these developments, Petzl started in the 1970s a caving equipment manufacturing company named <a href="/wiki/Petzl" title="Petzl">Petzl</a>. The development of the <a href="/wiki/Abseiling" title="Abseiling">rappel rack</a> and the evolution of mechanical ascension systems extended the practice and safety of vertical exploration to a wider range of cavers.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (March 2023)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Practice_and_equipment">Practice and equipment</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Caving&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Practice and equipment"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Caving_equipment" title="Caving equipment">Caving equipment</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Caving1.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/Caving1.jpg/220px-Caving1.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="165" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/Caving1.jpg/330px-Caving1.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/Caving1.jpg/440px-Caving1.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1280" data-file-height="960" /></a><figcaption>Caver in an <a href="/wiki/Alabama" title="Alabama">Alabama</a> cave showing common caving wear: coveralls, helmet-mounted lights, heavy boots and gloves.</figcaption></figure> <p><a href="/wiki/Hard_hat" title="Hard hat">Hard hats</a> are worn to protect the head from bumps and falling rocks. The caver's primary light source is usually mounted on the helmet in order to keep the hands free. Electric <a href="/wiki/LED" class="mw-redirect" title="LED">LED</a> lights are most common. Many cavers carry two or more sources of light – one as primary and the others as backup in case the first fails. More often than not, a second light will be mounted to the helmet for quick transition if the primary fails. <a href="/wiki/Carbide_lamp" title="Carbide lamp">Carbide lamp</a> systems are an older form of illumination, inspired by miner's equipment, and are still used by some cavers, particularly on remote expeditions where electric charging facilities are not available.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The type of <a href="/wiki/Clothes" class="mw-redirect" title="Clothes">clothes</a> worn underground varies according to the environment of the cave being explored, and the local culture. In cold caves, the caver may wear a warm base layer that retains its insulating properties when wet, such as a <a href="/wiki/Wool" title="Wool">fleece</a> ("furry") suit or polypropylene underwear, and an oversuit of hard-wearing (e.g., <a href="/wiki/Cordura" title="Cordura">cordura</a>) or waterproof (e.g., <a href="/wiki/Polyvinyl_chloride" title="Polyvinyl chloride">PVC</a>) material. Lighter clothing may be worn in warm caves, particularly if the cave is dry, and in tropical caves thin polypropylene clothing is used, to provide some abrasion protection while remaining as cool as possible. <a href="/wiki/Wetsuit" title="Wetsuit">Wetsuits</a> may be worn if the cave is particularly wet or involves stream passages. On the feet <a href="/wiki/Boot" title="Boot">boots</a> are worn – hiking-style boots in drier caves, or rubber boots (such as <a href="/wiki/Wellies" class="mw-redirect" title="Wellies">wellies</a>) often with <a href="/wiki/Neoprene" title="Neoprene">neoprene</a> socks ("wetsocks") in wetter caves. <a href="/wiki/Knee" title="Knee">Knee</a>-pads (and sometimes <a href="/wiki/Elbow-joint" class="mw-redirect" title="Elbow-joint">elbow</a>-pads) are popular for protecting joints during crawls. Depending on the nature of the cave, gloves are sometimes worn to protect the hands against abrasion or cold. In pristine areas and for restoration, clean oversuits and powder-free, non-latex <a href="/wiki/Medical_gloves" class="mw-redirect" title="Medical gloves">surgical gloves</a> are used to protect the cave itself from contaminants. Ropes are used for descending or ascending pitches (single rope technique or SRT) or for protection. <a href="/wiki/Knot" title="Knot">Knots</a> commonly used in caving are the <a href="/wiki/Figure-of-eight_loop" class="mw-redirect" title="Figure-of-eight loop">figure-of-eight</a>- (or <a href="/wiki/Figure-of-nine_loop" title="Figure-of-nine loop">figure-of-nine</a>-) loop, <a href="/wiki/Bowline" title="Bowline">bowline</a>, <a href="/wiki/Alpine_butterfly_knot" class="mw-redirect" title="Alpine butterfly knot">alpine butterfly</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Italian_hitch" class="mw-redirect" title="Italian hitch">Italian hitch</a>. Ropes are usually rigged using <a href="/wiki/Bolt_(climbing)" title="Bolt (climbing)">bolts</a>, <a href="/wiki/Sling_(climbing_equipment)" class="mw-redirect" title="Sling (climbing equipment)">slings</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Carabiner" title="Carabiner">carabiners</a>. In some cases cavers may choose to bring and use a flexible metal <a href="/wiki/Ladder" title="Ladder">ladder</a>. </p><p>In addition to the equipment already described, cavers frequently carry packs containing <a href="/wiki/First_aid" title="First aid">first-aid</a> kits, emergency equipment, and food. Containers for securely transporting <a href="/wiki/Urine" title="Urine">urine</a> are also commonly carried.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> On longer trips, containers for securely transporting <a href="/wiki/Feces" title="Feces">feces</a> out of the cave are carried.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>During very long trips, it may be necessary to camp in the cave – some cavers have stayed underground for many days, or in particularly extreme cases, for weeks at a time. This is particularly the case when exploring or mapping extensive cave systems, where it would be impractical to retrace the route back to the surface regularly. Such long trips necessitate the cavers carrying provisions, sleeping, and cooking equipment. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Safety">Safety</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Caving&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Safety"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Caving3.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Caving3.jpg/220px-Caving3.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="165" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Caving3.jpg/330px-Caving3.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Caving3.jpg/440px-Caving3.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1280" data-file-height="962" /></a><figcaption>A caver begins rope descent of a vertical shaft using an abseil rack.</figcaption></figure> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Cave_rescue" title="Cave rescue">Cave rescue</a></div> <p>Caves can be dangerous places; hypothermia, <a href="/wiki/Falling_(accident)" title="Falling (accident)">falling</a>, <a href="/wiki/Flooding" class="mw-redirect" title="Flooding">flooding</a>, falling rocks and physical <a href="/wiki/Fatigue_(medical)" class="mw-redirect" title="Fatigue (medical)">exhaustion</a> are the main risks. Rescuing people from underground is difficult and time-consuming, and requires special skills, training, and equipment. Full-scale cave rescues often involve the efforts of dozens of rescue workers (often other long-time cavers who have participated in specialized courses, as normal rescue staff are not sufficiently experienced in cave environments), who may themselves be put in jeopardy in effecting the rescue. This said, caving is not necessarily a high-risk sport (especially if it does not involve difficult climbs or diving). As in all physical sports, knowing one's limitations is key. </p><p>Caving in warmer climates carries the risk of contracting <a href="/wiki/Histoplasmosis" title="Histoplasmosis">histoplasmosis</a>, a fungal infection that is contracted from bird or bat droppings. It can cause <a href="/wiki/Pneumonia" title="Pneumonia">pneumonia</a> and can disseminate in the body to cause continued infections.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In many parts of the world, <a href="/wiki/Leptospirosis" title="Leptospirosis">leptospirosis</a> ("a type of bacterial infection spread by animals" including rats<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>) is a distinct threat, owing to the presence of rat urine in rainwater or precipitation that enters the caves water system. Complications are uncommon, but can be serious. Safety risks while caving can be minimized by using a number of techniques: </p> <ul><li>Checking that there is no danger of flooding during the expedition. Rainwater funneled underground can flood a cave very quickly, trapping people in cut-off passages and <a href="/wiki/Drowning" title="Drowning">drowning</a> them. In the UK, drowning accounts for almost half of all caving fatalities (see <a href="/wiki/List_of_UK_caving_fatalities" title="List of UK caving fatalities">List of UK caving fatalities</a>).</li> <li>Using teams of several cavers, preferably at least four. If an injury occurs, one caver stays with the injured person while the other two go out for help, providing assistance to each other on their way out.</li> <li>Notifying people outside the cave as to the intended return time. After an appropriate delay without a return, these will then organize a search party (usually made up by other cavers trained in <a href="/wiki/Cave_rescue" title="Cave rescue">cave rescues</a>, as even professional emergency personnel are unlikely to have the skills to effect a rescue in difficult conditions).</li> <li>Use of <a href="/wiki/Headlamp_(outdoor)" title="Headlamp (outdoor)">helmet-mounted lights</a> (hands-free) with extra batteries. American cavers recommend a minimum of three independent sources of light per person,<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> but two lights is common practice among European cavers.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (February 2017)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup></li> <li>Sturdy clothing and footwear, as well as a <a href="/wiki/Helmet" title="Helmet">helmet</a>, are necessary to reduce the impact of abrasions, falls, and falling objects. Synthetic fibers and woolens, which dry quickly, shed water, and are warm when wet, are vastly preferred to cotton materials, which retain water and increase the risk of hypothermia. It is also helpful to have several layers of clothing, which can be shed (and stored in the pack) or added as needed. In watery cave passages, <a href="/wiki/Polypropylene" title="Polypropylene">polypropylene</a> thermal underwear or wetsuits may be required to avoid <a href="/wiki/Hypothermia" title="Hypothermia">hypothermia</a>.</li> <li>Cave passages look different from different directions. In long or complex caves, even experienced cavers can become lost. To reduce the risk of becoming lost, it is necessary to memorize the appearance of key navigational points in the cave as they are passed by the exploring party. Each member of a cave party shares responsibility for being able to remember the route out of the cave. In some caves it may be acceptable to mark a small number of key junctions with small stacks or "cairns" of rocks, or to leave a non-permanent mark such as high-visibility <a href="/wiki/Flagging_(tape)" title="Flagging (tape)">flagging tape</a> tied to a projection.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pit_cave" title="Pit cave">Vertical caving</a> uses ladders or single rope technique (SRT) to avoid the need for climbing passages that are too difficult. SRT is a complex skill and requires proper training and well-maintained equipment. Some drops that are <a href="/wiki/Abseiling" title="Abseiling">abseiled</a> down may be as deep as several hundred meters (for example <a href="/wiki/Harwoods_Hole" title="Harwoods Hole">Harwoods Hole</a>).</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Cave_conservation">Cave conservation</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Caving&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Cave conservation"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Many cave environments are very fragile. Many <a href="/wiki/Speleothem" title="Speleothem">speleothems</a> can be damaged by even the slightest touch and some by impacts as slight as a breath. Research suggests that increased carbon dioxide levels can lead to "a higher equilibrium concentration of calcium within the drip waters feeding the speleothems, and hence causes dissolution of existing features."<sup id="cite_ref-Baker_1998_165–175_16-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Baker_1998_165–175-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 2008, researchers found evidence that respiration from cave visitors may generate elevated carbon dioxide concentrations in caves, leading to increased temperatures of up to 3 °C and a dissolution of existing features.<sup id="cite_ref-Baker_1998_165–175_16-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Baker_1998_165–175-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Pollution is also of concern. Since water that flows through a cave eventually comes out in streams and rivers, any pollution may ultimately end up in someone's drinking water, and can even seriously affect the surface environment, as well. Even minor pollution such as dropping <a href="/wiki/Organic_material" class="mw-redirect" title="Organic material">organic material</a> can have a dramatic effect on the cave biota. </p><p>Cave-dwelling species are also very fragile. Often, a particular species found in a cave may live within that cave alone, and be found nowhere else in the world; an example is the <a href="/wiki/Alabama_cave_shrimp" title="Alabama cave shrimp">Alabama cave shrimp</a>. Cave-dwelling species are accustomed to a near-constant climate of temperature and humidity, and any disturbance can be disruptive to the species' life cycles. Though cave wildlife may not always be immediately visible, it is typically nonetheless present in most caves. </p><p><a href="/wiki/Bat" title="Bat">Bats</a> are one such fragile species of cave-dwelling animal. Bats which <a href="/wiki/Hibernation" title="Hibernation">hibernate</a> are most vulnerable during the winter season, when no food supply exists on the surface to replenish the bat's store of energy should it be awakened from hibernation. Bats which <a href="/wiki/Bird_migration" title="Bird migration">migrate</a> are most sensitive during the summer months when they are raising their young. For these reasons, visiting caves inhabited by hibernating bats is discouraged during cold months; and visiting caves inhabited by migratory bats is discouraged during the warmer months when they are most sensitive and vulnerable. Due to an affliction affecting bats in the northeastern US known as <a href="/wiki/White_nose_syndrome" class="mw-redirect" title="White nose syndrome">white nose syndrome</a> (WNS),<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> the US Fish & Wildlife Service has called for a moratorium effective March 26, 2009, on caving activity in states known to have hibernacula (MD, NY, VT, NH, MA, CT, NJ, PA, VA, and WV) affected by WNS, as well as adjoining states.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Some cave passages may be marked with flagging tape or other indicators to show biologically, aesthetically, or archaeologically sensitive areas. Marked paths may show ways around notably fragile areas such as a pristine floor of <a href="/wiki/Sand" title="Sand">sand</a> or <a href="/wiki/Silt" title="Silt">silt</a> which may be thousands of years old, dating from the last time water flowed through the cave. Such deposits may easily be spoiled forever by a single misplaced step. Active formations such as <a href="/wiki/Flowstone" title="Flowstone">flowstone</a> can be similarly marred with a muddy footprint or handprint, and ancient human artifacts, such as fiber products, may even crumble to dust under all but the most gentle touch. </p><p>In 1988, concerned that cave resources were becoming increasingly damaged through unregulated use, Congress enacted the <a href="/wiki/Federal_Cave_Resources_Protection_Act_of_1988" title="Federal Cave Resources Protection Act of 1988">Federal Cave Resources Protection Act</a>, giving land management agencies in the United States expanded authority to manage cave conservation on public land.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Caving_organizations">Caving organizations</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Caving&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Caving organizations"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Caving_organizations" class="mw-redirect" title="Caving organizations">Caving organizations</a></div> <p>Cavers in many countries have created organizations for the administration and oversight of caving activities within their nations. The oldest of these is the <a href="/wiki/French_Federation_of_Speleology" title="French Federation of Speleology">French Federation of Speleology</a> (originally Société de spéléologie) founded by Édouard-Alfred Martel in 1895, which produced the first periodical journal in speleology, <i>Spelunca</i>. The first University-based speleological institute in the world was founded in 1920 in <a href="/wiki/Cluj-Napoca" title="Cluj-Napoca">Cluj-Napoca</a>, Romania, by <a href="/wiki/Emil_Racovita" class="mw-redirect" title="Emil Racovita">Emil Racovita</a>, a Romanian biologist, zoologist, speleologist and explorer of Antarctica. </p><p>The <a href="/wiki/British_Speleological_Association" title="British Speleological Association">British Speleological Association</a> was established in 1935. In the United States, the <a href="/wiki/National_Speleological_Society" title="National Speleological Society">National Speleological Society</a> in the US was founded in 1941; however, it was originally formed as the Speleological Society of <a href="/wiki/Washington,_D.C." title="Washington, D.C.">the District of Columbia</a> on May 6, 1939. </p><p>An international speleological congress was proposed at a meeting in Valence-sur-Rhone, France in 1949 and first held in 1953 in Paris. The <a href="/wiki/International_Union_of_Speleology" title="International Union of Speleology">International Union of Speleology</a> (UIS) was founded in 1965.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Caving&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_caves" title="List of caves">List of caves</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_longest_caves" title="List of longest caves">List of longest caves</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_deepest_caves" title="List of deepest caves">List of deepest caves</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Speleology" title="Speleology">Speleology</a> – Science of cave and karst systems</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Caving&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-CAVE1-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-CAVE1_1-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.teara.govt.nz/TheBush/BushAndMountainRecreation/Caving/3/en">Caving in New Zealand</a> (from <a href="/wiki/Te_Ara:_The_Encyclopedia_of_New_Zealand" title="Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand">Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand</a>, Accessed 2012-11.)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-CHALL-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-CHALL_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CHALL_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CHALL_2-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130326062046/http://newsok.com/many-find-cavings-challenges-thrills-illuminating/article/3253500/">"Many find caving's challenges, thrills illuminating"</a>. <i>NewsOK</i>. 8 June 2008. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://newsok.com/many-find-cavings-challenges-thrills-illuminating/article/3253500/">the original</a> on March 26, 2013<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">12 November</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=NewsOK&rft.atitle=Many+find+caving%27s+challenges%2C+thrills+illuminating&rft.date=2008-06-08&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fnewsok.com%2Fmany-find-cavings-challenges-thrills-illuminating%2Farticle%2F3253500%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ACaving" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-CAVENZ-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-CAVENZ_3-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-CAVENZ_3-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFPearson,_Anna" class="citation news cs1">Pearson, Anna. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/new-zealand/4118082/Caving-in-New-Zealand">"Caving in New Zealand"</a>. <i>Stuff.co.nz - Fairfax NZ News</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">12 November</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Stuff.co.nz+-+Fairfax+NZ+News&rft.atitle=Caving+in+New+Zealand&rft.au=Pearson%2C+Anna&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stuff.co.nz%2Ftravel%2Fnew-zealand%2F4118082%2FCaving-in-New-Zealand&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ACaving" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://british-caving.org.uk/wiki3/doku.php?id=press:about_caving">"About Caving"</a>. <i>british-caving.org.uk</i>. <a href="/wiki/British_Caving_Association" title="British Caving Association">British Caving Association</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">31 August</span> 2018</span>. <q>... people start... as sporting cavers and develop... other interests such as... cave diving...</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=british-caving.org.uk&rft.atitle=About+Caving&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fbritish-caving.org.uk%2Fwiki3%2Fdoku.php%3Fid%3Dpress%3Aabout_caving&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ACaving" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFChiacchia,_Ken2001" class="citation news cs1">Chiacchia, Ken (6 April 2001). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_YZIAAAAIBAJ&pg=3867,4897282&dq=caving+extreme-sport&hl=en">"Extreme Caving - Gorgeous settings present dangers and challenges in Omnimax film"</a>. <i>Pittsburgh Post-Gazette</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">12 November</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Pittsburgh+Post-Gazette&rft.atitle=Extreme+Caving+-+Gorgeous+settings+present+dangers+and+challenges+in+Omnimax+film&rft.date=2001-04-06&rft.au=Chiacchia%2C+Ken&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.google.com%2Fnewspapers%3Fid%3D_YZIAAAAIBAJ%26pg%3D3867%2C4897282%26dq%3Dcaving%2Bextreme-sport%26hl%3Den&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ACaving" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-REALU-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-REALU_6-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20111208213820/http://www.roanoke.com/neighbors/columnists/foley/wb/153436">"Plunge into Roanoke's real underground"</a>. <i>Roanoke Times</i>. 7 March 2008. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.roanoke.com/neighbors/columnists/foley/wb/153436">the original</a> on 2011-12-08<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">12 November</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Roanoke+Times&rft.atitle=Plunge+into+Roanoke%27s+real+underground&rft.date=2008-03-07&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roanoke.com%2Fneighbors%2Fcolumnists%2Ffoley%2Fwb%2F153436&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ACaving" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFHarper" class="citation web cs1">Harper, Douglas. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.etymonline.com/?term=spelunk">"spelunk"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/Online_Etymology_Dictionary" title="Online Etymology Dictionary">Online Etymology Dictionary</a></i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Online+Etymology+Dictionary&rft.atitle=spelunk&rft.aulast=Harper&rft.aufirst=Douglas&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etymonline.com%2F%3Fterm%3Dspelunk&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ACaving" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0059:entry=spelunca">spelunca</a>. Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short. <i><a href="/wiki/A_Latin_Dictionary" title="A Latin Dictionary">A Latin Dictionary</a></i> on <a href="/wiki/Perseus_Project" class="mw-redirect" title="Perseus Project">Perseus Project</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20131231092919/http://www.yrc.org.uk/yrcweb/index.php/theclub-menu">"The Club"</a>. <i>Yorkshire Rambler's Club Website</i>. YRC Committee. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.yrc.org.uk/yrcweb/index.php/theclub-menu">the original</a> on 31 December 2013<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">10 January</span> 2014</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Yorkshire+Rambler%27s+Club+Website&rft.atitle=The+Club&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yrc.org.uk%2Fyrcweb%2Findex.php%2Ftheclub-menu&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ACaving" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.teara.govt.nz/TheBush/BushAndMountainRecreation/Caving/4/en">Caving equipment and culture</a> (from <a href="/wiki/Te_Ara:_The_Encyclopedia_of_New_Zealand" title="Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand">Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand</a>)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210628022708/https://caves.org/conservation/cavingcode.shtml">"Minimum-Impact Caving"</a>. <i>caves.org</i>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://caves.org/conservation/cavingcode.shtml">the original</a> on 2021-06-28<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2021-06-28</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=caves.org&rft.atitle=Minimum-Impact+Caving&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fcaves.org%2Fconservation%2Fcavingcode.shtml&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ACaving" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://adventure.howstuffworks.com/outdoor-activities/climbing/spelunking.htm">"How Spelunking Works"</a>. <i>HowStuffWorks</i>. 2008-03-26<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2021-03-01</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=HowStuffWorks&rft.atitle=How+Spelunking+Works&rft.date=2008-03-26&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fadventure.howstuffworks.com%2Foutdoor-activities%2Fclimbing%2Fspelunking.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ACaving" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-13">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFStenn1960" class="citation journal cs1">Stenn, Frederick (1960). "Cave Disease or Speleonosis". <i>Archives of Internal Medicine</i>. <b>105</b> (2): <span class="nowrap">181–</span>183. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1001%2Farchinte.1960.00270140003001">10.1001/archinte.1960.00270140003001</a>. <a href="/wiki/PMID_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="PMID (identifier)">PMID</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/13834312">13834312</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Archives+of+Internal+Medicine&rft.atitle=Cave+Disease+or+Speleonosis&rft.volume=105&rft.issue=2&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E181-%3C%2Fspan%3E183&rft.date=1960&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1001%2Farchinte.1960.00270140003001&rft_id=info%3Apmid%2F13834312&rft.aulast=Stenn&rft.aufirst=Frederick&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ACaving" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-14">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/leptospirosis/Pages/Introduction.aspx">"Leptospirosis"</a>. <i>NHS</i>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171003143507/http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/leptospirosis/Pages/Introduction.aspx">Archived</a> from the original on Oct 3, 2017. <q>Leptospirosis is a type of bacterial infection spread by animals. It's caused by a strain of bacteria called leptospira. In 90% of cases, leptospirosis only causes mild flu-like symptoms, such as a headache, chills and muscle pain. However, in some cases the infection is more severe and can cause life-threatening problems, including organ failure and internal bleeding. In its most severe form, leptospirosis is also known as Weil's disease.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=NHS&rft.atitle=Leptospirosis&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fconditions%2Fleptospirosis%2FPages%2FIntroduction.aspx&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ACaving" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation book cs1">"What to Bring: Lights". <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160418030325/http://caves.org/brochure/Guide_to_Resp_Caving_2016.pdf"><i>A Guide to Responsible Caving</i></a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <a href="/wiki/National_Speleological_Society" title="National Speleological Society">National Speleological Society</a>. 2016. p. 11. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://caves.org/brochure/Guide_to_Resp_Caving_2016.pdf">the original</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> on 2016-04-18.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=What+to+Bring%3A+Lights&rft.btitle=A+Guide+to+Responsible+Caving&rft.pages=11&rft.pub=National+Speleological+Society&rft.date=2016&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fcaves.org%2Fbrochure%2FGuide_to_Resp_Caving_2016.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ACaving" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Baker_1998_165–175-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Baker_1998_165–175_16-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Baker_1998_165–175_16-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBakerGenty1998" class="citation journal cs1">Baker, A.; Genty, D. 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Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html">the original</a> on 2008-02-09<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2009-04-09</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=fws.gov&rft.atitle=Page+Redirect&rft.au=Northeast+Region+Web+Development+Group&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fws.gov%2Fnortheast%2Fwhite_nose.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ACaving" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220829110619/http://www.caves.org/WNS/USFWS-WNS_cave_advisory_news_rls_2009-03-26_final-1.pdf">"U.S Fish and Wildlife Service Advisory"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. 2009-03-26. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.caves.org/WNS/USFWS-WNS_cave_advisory_news_rls_2009-03-26_final-1.pdf">the original</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> on 2022-08-29<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2022-10-10</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=U.S+Fish+and+Wildlife+Service+Advisory&rft.date=2009-03-26&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.caves.org%2FWNS%2FUSFWS-WNS_cave_advisory_news_rls_2009-03-26_final-1.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ACaving" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFIraola2005" class="citation journal cs1">Iraola, Roberto (October 2005). "Statutory overview: The Federal Cave Resources Protection Act of 1988". <i>Fordham Environmental Law Review</i>. <b>17</b>: <span class="nowrap">89–</span>271.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Fordham+Environmental+Law+Review&rft.atitle=Statutory+overview%3A+The+Federal+Cave+Resources+Protection+Act+of+1988&rft.volume=17&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E89-%3C%2Fspan%3E271&rft.date=2005-10&rft.aulast=Iraola&rft.aufirst=Roberto&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ACaving" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-20">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.uis-speleo.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60&Itemid=184">"What is the UIS?"</a>. <i>www.uis-speleo.org</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2019-04-28</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=www.uis-speleo.org&rft.atitle=What+is+the+UIS%3F&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.uis-speleo.org%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D60%26Itemid%3D184&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ACaving" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .side-box-flex{display:flex;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{flex:1;min-width:0}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .side-box{width:238px}.mw-parser-output .side-box-right{clear:right;float:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-left{margin-right:1em}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1237033735">@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox{display:none!important}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}</style><div class="side-box side-box-right plainlinks sistersitebox"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style> <div class="side-box-flex"> <div class="side-box-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Commons-logo.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="30" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/45px-Commons-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/59px-Commons-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="1376" /></a></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist">Wikimedia Commons has media related to <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Cave" class="extiw" title="commons:Cave"><span style="font-style:italic; font-weight:bold;">Caving</span></a>.</div></div> </div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1235681985"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1237033735"><div class="side-box side-box-right plainlinks sistersitebox"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1126788409"> <div class="side-box-flex"> <div class="side-box-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/40px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="40" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/60px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/80px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="512" data-file-height="512" /></a></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist">Look up <i><b><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Special:Search/caving" class="extiw" title="wiktionary:Special:Search/caving">caving</a></b></i> in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.</div></div> </div> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist 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.navbox-title{background-color:#ddf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-abovebelow{background-color:#e6e6ff}.mw-parser-output .navbox-even{background-color:#f7f7f7}.mw-parser-output .navbox-odd{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ul,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Cave_topics223" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Caves" title="Template:Caves"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Caves" title="Template talk:Caves"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Caves" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Caves"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Cave_topics223" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Cave" title="Cave">Cave</a> topics</div></th></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div><a href="/wiki/Glossary_of_caving_and_speleology" title="Glossary of caving and speleology">Glossary of caving and speleology</a></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Main topics</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Biospeleology" title="Biospeleology">Biospeleology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave_conservation" title="Cave conservation">Cave conservation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave_painting" title="Cave painting">Cave painting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave_survey" title="Cave survey">Cave survey</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Caving</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cave_diving" title="Cave diving">Diving</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Caving_equipment" title="Caving equipment">Equipment</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Subterranean_fauna" title="Subterranean fauna">Fauna</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Stygofauna" title="Stygofauna">Stygofauna</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Troglofauna" title="Troglofauna">Troglofauna</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Karst" title="Karst">Karst</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Speleogenesis" title="Speleogenesis">Speleogenesis</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Speleology" title="Speleology">Speleology</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Types and formation<br /> processes</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Anchialine_system" title="Anchialine system">Anchihaline cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Breathing_cave" title="Breathing cave">Breathing cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave-in" title="Cave-in">Cave-in</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cenote" title="Cenote">Cenote</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Estavelle" title="Estavelle">Estavelle/Inversac</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Foiba" title="Foiba">Foiba</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Glacier_cave" title="Glacier cave">Glacier cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ice_cave" title="Ice cave">Ice cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Karst_spring" title="Karst spring">Karst spring</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lava_cave" title="Lava cave">Lava cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pit_cave" title="Pit cave">Pit cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ponor" title="Ponor">Ponor</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Salt_cave" title="Salt cave">Salt cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sea_cave" title="Sea cave">Sea cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Solutional_cave" title="Solutional cave">Solutional cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Show_cave" title="Show cave">Show cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sinkhole" title="Sinkhole">Sinkhole</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Spring_(hydrology)" title="Spring (hydrology)">Spring</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Suffosion" title="Suffosion">Suffosion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sump_(cave)" title="Sump (cave)">Sump</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Talus_cave" title="Talus cave">Talus cave</a></li> <li>Underground <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Underground_lake" class="mw-redirect" title="Underground lake">Lake</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Subterranean_river" title="Subterranean river">River</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Subterranean_waterfall" title="Subterranean waterfall">Waterfall</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Speleothem" title="Speleothem">Speleothems</a><br />and <a href="/wiki/Speleogen" title="Speleogen">Speleogens</a><br />(Cave formations)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Anthodite" title="Anthodite">Anthodite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Boxwork" title="Boxwork">Boxwork</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Calcite_rafts" title="Calcite rafts">Calcite rafts</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave_pearl" title="Cave pearl">Cave pearl</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave_popcorn" title="Cave popcorn">Cave popcorn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dogtooth_spar" title="Dogtooth spar">Dogtooth spar</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Flowstone" title="Flowstone">Flowstone</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Frostwork" class="mw-redirect" title="Frostwork">Frostwork</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Helictite" title="Helictite">Helictite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Moonmilk" title="Moonmilk">Moonmilk</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rimstone" title="Rimstone">Rimstone</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shelfstone" title="Shelfstone">Shelfstone</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Snottite" title="Snottite">Snottite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Soda_straw" title="Soda straw">Soda straw</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Speleoseismite" title="Speleoseismite">Speleoseismite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stalactite" title="Stalactite">Stalactite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stalagmite" title="Stalagmite">Stalagmite</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stalagnate" class="mw-redirect" title="Stalagnate">Stalagnate</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Dwellings</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cave_dweller" title="Cave dweller">Cave dweller</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave-dwelling_Jews" title="Cave-dwelling Jews">Cave-dwelling Jews</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_cave_monasteries" title="List of cave monasteries">Cave monastery</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kome_Caves" title="Kome Caves">Kome Caves</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nok_and_Mamproug_Cave_Dwellings" title="Nok and Mamproug Cave Dwellings">Nok and Mamproug Cave Dwellings</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yaodong" title="Yaodong">Yaodong</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Popular culture</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Diving_into_the_Unknown" title="Diving into the Unknown">Diving into the Unknown</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Cave_of_Forgotten_Dreams" title="Cave of Forgotten Dreams">Cave of Forgotten Dreams</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Underground_Eiger" title="The Underground Eiger">The Underground Eiger</a></i></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Incidents</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_UK_caving_fatalities" title="List of UK caving fatalities">List of UK caving fatalities</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Alpazat_cave_rescue" title="Alpazat cave rescue">Alpazat cave rescue</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Riesending_cave_rescue" title="Riesending cave rescue">Riesending cave rescue</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tham_Luang_cave_rescue" title="Tham Luang cave rescue">Tham Luang cave rescue</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Caves" title="Category:Caves">Category</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Subterranea117" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Subterranea" title="Template:Subterranea"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Template_talk:Subterranea&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Template talk:Subterranea (page does not exist)"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Subterranea" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Subterranea"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Subterranea117" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Subterranea_(geography)" title="Subterranea (geography)">Subterranea</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Natural features</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;font-weight: normal;">Types</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alcove_(landform)" title="Alcove (landform)">Alcove</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ant_colony" title="Ant colony">Ant colony</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aquifer" title="Aquifer">Aquifer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Burrow" title="Burrow">Burrow</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Burrow_fossil" title="Burrow fossil">Burrow fossil</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Communal_burrow" class="mw-redirect" title="Communal burrow">Communal burrow</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Paleoburrow" title="Paleoburrow">Paleoburrow</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave" title="Cave">Cave</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Glacier_cave" title="Glacier cave">Glacier cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Grotto" title="Grotto">Grotto</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ice_cave" title="Ice cave">Ice cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lava_cave" title="Lava cave">Lava cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lava_tube" title="Lava tube">Lava tube</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pit_Cave" class="mw-redirect" title="Pit Cave">Pit Cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Show_cave" title="Show cave">Show cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Solutional_cave" title="Solutional cave">Solutional cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Talus_cave" title="Talus cave">Talus cave</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cenote" title="Cenote">Cenote</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Karst" title="Karst">Karst</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lava_tree_mold" title="Lava tree mold">Lava tree mold</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Magma_chamber" title="Magma chamber">Magma chamber</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Maternity_den" title="Maternity den">Maternity den</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nest" title="Nest">Nest</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Beehive" title="Beehive">Bee</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pit_crater" title="Pit crater">Pit crater</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rock_shelter" title="Rock shelter">Rock shelter</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sinkhole" title="Sinkhole">Sinkhole</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Subterranean_fauna" title="Subterranean fauna">Subterranean fauna</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Subterranean_river" title="Subterranean river">Subterranean river</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Subterranean_waterfall" title="Subterranean waterfall">Subterranean waterfall</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Underground_lake" class="mw-redirect" title="Underground lake">Underground lake</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Volcanic_pipe" title="Volcanic pipe">Volcanic pipe</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Warren_(burrow)" title="Warren (burrow)">Warren</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;font-weight: normal;">Exemplars</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Balve_Cave" title="Balve Cave">Balve Cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Castellana_Caves" title="Castellana Caves">Castellana Caves</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hang_S%C6%A1n_%C4%90o%C3%B2ng" title="Hang Sơn Đoòng">Hang Sơn Đoòng</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jewel_Cave_National_Monument" title="Jewel Cave National Monument">Jewel Cave National Monument</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kazumura_Cave" title="Kazumura Cave">Kazumura Cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lechuguilla_Cave" title="Lechuguilla Cave">Lechuguilla Cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mammoth_Cave_National_Park" title="Mammoth Cave National Park">Mammoth Cave National Park</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reed_Flute_Cave" title="Reed Flute Cave">Reed Flute Cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Subterranean_rivers_of_London" title="Subterranean rivers of London">Subterranean rivers of London</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Veryovkina_Cave" title="Veryovkina Cave">Veryovkina Cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wind_Cave_National_Park" title="Wind Cave National Park">Wind Cave National Park</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Man-made features</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;font-weight: normal;">Types</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Air_raid_shelter" title="Air raid shelter">Air raid shelter</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Basement" title="Basement">Basement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Burial_vault_(tomb)" title="Burial vault (tomb)">Burial vault</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Borehole" title="Borehole">Borehole</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bunker" title="Bunker">Bunker</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Blast_shelter" title="Blast shelter">Blast shelter</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Catacombs" title="Catacombs">Catacombs</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Casemate" title="Casemate">Casemate</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mausoleum" title="Mausoleum">Crypt Mausoleum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dungeon" title="Dungeon">Dungeon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dugout_(shelter)" title="Dugout (shelter)">Dugout (shelter)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dry_well" title="Dry well">Dry well</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Earth_shelter" title="Earth shelter">Earth shelter</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Erdstall" title="Erdstall">Erdstall</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fallout_shelter" title="Fallout shelter">Fallout shelter</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fogou" title="Fogou">Fogou</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Defensive_fighting_position#Terminology" title="Defensive fighting position">Foxhole</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hypogeum" title="Hypogeum">Hypogeum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Manhole" title="Manhole">Manhole</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mining" title="Mining">Mine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Missile_launch_facility" title="Missile launch facility">Missile launch facility</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Passage_grave" title="Passage grave">Passage grave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Quarry" title="Quarry">Quarry</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rock-cut_tomb" title="Rock-cut tomb">Rock-cut tomb</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Root_cellar" title="Root cellar">Root cellar</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tunnel" title="Tunnel">Tunnel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Utility_vault" title="Utility vault">Utility vault</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Underground_city" title="Underground city">Underground city</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Underground_base" title="Underground base">Underground base</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Underground_hangar" title="Underground hangar">Underground hangar</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Well" title="Well">Well</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wine_cave" title="Wine cave">Wine cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rapid_transit" title="Rapid transit">Subway system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Secret_passage" title="Secret passage">Secret passage</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Semi-basement" title="Semi-basement">Semi-basement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sewerage" title="Sewerage">Sewerage</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Septic_tank" title="Septic tank">Septic tank</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stepwell" title="Stepwell">Stepwell</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Storm_cellar" title="Storm cellar">Storm cellar</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Smuggling_tunnel" title="Smuggling tunnel">Smuggling tunnel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Spider_hole" title="Spider hole">Spider hole</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ventilation_shaft" title="Ventilation shaft">Ventilation shaft</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;font-weight: normal;">Exemplars</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/816_Nuclear_Military_Plant" title="816 Nuclear Military Plant">816 Nuclear Military Plant</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Caves_of_Maastricht" title="Caves of Maastricht">Caves of Maastricht</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_Caves_of_%C3%86giss%C3%AD%C3%B0a" title="The Caves of Ægissíða">The Caves of Ægissíða</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Heritage_of_Mercury._Almad%C3%A9n_and_Idrija" title="Heritage of Mercury. Almadén and Idrija"> Almadén Mercury Mines</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Coober_Pedy" title="Coober Pedy">Coober Pedy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cheyenne_Mountain_Complex" title="Cheyenne Mountain Complex">Cheyenne Mountain Complex</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chicago_Tunnel_Company" title="Chicago Tunnel Company">Chicago Tunnel Company</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Houston_tunnel_system" title="Houston tunnel system">Houston tunnel system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kosvinsky_Kamen" title="Kosvinsky Kamen">Kosvinsky Kamen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/K%C5%91b%C3%A1nya_cellar_system" title="Kőbánya cellar system">Kőbánya cellar system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kome_Caves" title="Kome Caves">Kome Caves</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Underground_City_(Beijing)" title="Underground City (Beijing)">Underground City (Beijing)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Underground_City,_Montreal" title="Underground City, Montreal">Underground City, Montreal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Underground_Great_Wall_of_China" title="Underground Great Wall of China">Underground Great Wall of China</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Maginot_Line" title="Maginot Line">Maginot Line</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mines_of_Paris" title="Mines of Paris">Mines of Paris</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mustang_Caves" title="Mustang Caves">Mustang Caves</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mount_Yamantau" title="Mount Yamantau">Mount Yamantau</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mogao_Caves" title="Mogao Caves">Mogao Caves</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Naples_underground_geothermal_zone" title="Naples underground geothermal zone">Naples underground geothermal zone</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/North_American_Aerospace_Defense_Command" class="mw-redirect" title="North American Aerospace Defense Command">North American Aerospace Defense Command</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Raven_Rock_Mountain_Complex" title="Raven Rock Mountain Complex">Raven Rock Mountain Complex</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shanghai_tunnels" title="Shanghai tunnels">Shanghai tunnels</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Subterranean_London" title="Subterranean London">Subterranean London</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Subterranean_Toledo" title="Subterranean Toledo">Subterranean Toledo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Turda_Salt_Mines" class="mw-redirect" title="Turda Salt Mines">Turda Salt Mines</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yaodong" title="Yaodong">Yaodong</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Fictional features</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;font-weight: normal;">Types</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hollow_Earth" title="Hollow Earth">Hollow Earth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Subterranean_fiction" title="Subterranean fiction">Subterranean fiction</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;font-weight: normal;">Exemplars</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Allegory_of_the_cave" title="Allegory of the cave">Allegory of the cave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Batcave" title="Batcave">Batcave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Greek_underworld" title="Greek underworld">Greek Underworld</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Journey_to_the_Center_of_the_Earth" title="Journey to the Center of the Earth">Journey to the Center of the Earth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Moria_(Middle-earth)" class="mw-redirect" title="Moria (Middle-earth)">Moria (Middle-earth)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nome_Kingdom" class="mw-redirect" title="Nome Kingdom">Nome Kingdom</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pellucidar" title="Pellucidar">Pellucidar</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Subterranea_(comics)" class="mw-redirect" title="Subterranea (comics)">Subterranea (comics)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tunnels_in_popular_culture" title="Tunnels in popular culture">Tunnels in popular culture</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Underdark" title="Underdark">Underdark</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Underland_(Narnia)" title="Underland (Narnia)">Underland (Narnia)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wonderland_(fictional_country)" title="Wonderland (fictional country)">Wonderland (fictional country)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Organisations</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/American_Society_of_Reclamation_Sciences" title="American Society of Reclamation Sciences">American Society of Reclamation Sciences</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bergamt" title="Bergamt">Bergamt</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave_Research_Foundation" title="Cave Research Foundation">Cave Research Foundation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/History_of_hard_rock_miners%27_organizations" title="History of hard rock miners' organizations">History of hard rock miners' organizations</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Mine_Map_Repository" title="National Mine Map Repository">National Mine Map Repository</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Mining_Association" title="National Mining Association">National Mining Association</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Speleological_Society" title="National Speleological Society">National Speleological Society</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Grotto_(National_Speleological_Society)" title="Grotto (National Speleological Society)">Grotto</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Institute_of_Materials,_Minerals_and_Mining" title="Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining">Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Institution_of_Mining_Engineers" title="Institution of Mining Engineers">Institution of Mining Engineers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/International_Union_of_Speleology" title="International Union of Speleology">International Union of Speleology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Research_Centre_for_Deep_Drilling" title="Research Centre for Deep Drilling">Research Centre for Deep Drilling</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Society_of_Economic_Geologists" title="Society of Economic Geologists">Society of Economic Geologists</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Southern_African_Institute_of_Mining_and_Metallurgy" title="Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy">Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Related topics</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cave_conservation" title="Cave conservation">Cave conservation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave_dweller" title="Cave dweller">Cave dweller</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave_diving" title="Cave diving">Cave diving</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave_gate" title="Cave gate">Cave gate</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave_rescue" title="Cave rescue">Cave rescue</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cave_painting" title="Cave painting">Cave painting</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Caving</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Civil_defense" title="Civil defense">Civil defense</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tunnel_warfare" title="Tunnel warfare">Tunnel warfare</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tunnel_network" title="Tunnel network">Tunnel network</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trench_warfare" title="Trench warfare">Trench warfare</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Underground_construction" title="Underground construction">Underground construction</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Tunnel_construction" title="Tunnel construction">Tunnel construction</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Underground_living" title="Underground living">Underground living</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mine_rescue" title="Mine rescue">Mine rescue</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mine_exploration" title="Mine exploration">Mine exploration</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mining_engineering" title="Mining engineering">Mining engineering</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mole_people" title="Mole people">Mole people</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Mole_people_(fiction)" title="Mole people (fiction)">in fiction</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Speleology" title="Speleology">Speleology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Subterranean_warfare" title="Subterranean warfare">Subterranean warfare</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1038841319">.mw-parser-output .tooltip-dotted{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}</style><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1038841319"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1038841319"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox authority-control" aria-labelledby="Authority_control_databases_frameless&#124;text-top&#124;10px&#124;alt=Edit_this_at_Wikidata&#124;link=https&#58;//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q200341#identifiers&#124;class=noprint&#124;Edit_this_at_Wikidata1208" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Authority_control_databases_frameless&#124;text-top&#124;10px&#124;alt=Edit_this_at_Wikidata&#124;link=https&#58;//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q200341#identifiers&#124;class=noprint&#124;Edit_this_at_Wikidata1208" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Help:Authority_control" title="Help:Authority control">Authority control databases</a> <span class="mw-valign-text-top noprint" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q200341#identifiers" title="Edit this at Wikidata"><img alt="Edit this at Wikidata" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/10px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png" decoding="async" width="10" height="10" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/15px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/20px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="20" data-file-height="20" /></a></span></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">International</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://id.worldcat.org/fast/849926/">FAST</a></span></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">National</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><span class="uid"><span class="rt-commentedText tooltip tooltip-dotted" title="Caving"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://id.loc.gov/authorities/sh85021543">United States</a></span></span></li><li><span class="uid"><span class="rt-commentedText tooltip tooltip-dotted" title="Spéléologie (sport)"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb11973669n">France</a></span></span></li><li><span class="uid"><span class="rt-commentedText tooltip tooltip-dotted" title="Spéléologie (sport)"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://data.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb11973669n">BnF data</a></span></span></li><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://id.ndl.go.jp/auth/ndlna/00565303">Japan</a></span></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?useformat=desktop&type=1x1&usesul3=0" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" 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