What is a cave? This is a very good question. The Federal Cave Resource Protection Act of 1988 defines a cave as “any naturally occurring void, cavity, recess, or system of interconnected passageways beneath the surface of the earth.” The Natural Cave Conservation Association describes caves as naturally formed underground cavities large enough for a person to fit through. The term cavern is often used interchangeably with the word cave.

Caves exist worldwide and come in many shapes and sizes. A cave may or may not have an entrance at Earth’s surface. Sometimes caves are filled with air; sometimes they are filled with water.

Caves are unique, sensitive environments that house fragile mineral formations, rare flora and fauna, irreplaceable artifacts, and distinctive fossils. They also record Earth’s history and climate and are natural laboratories for modern research.