Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve
| Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve | |
|---|---|
  Location within Virginia | |
| Location | Lee County, Virginia |
| Coordinates | 36°36′52″N 83°13′36″W / 36.61433°N 83.22672°WCoordinates: 36°36′52″N 83°13′36″W / 36.61433°N 83.22672°W[1] |
| Area | 171 acres (69 ha) |
| Established | 2004 |
| Governing body | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve is a 171-acre (69 ha) Natural Area Preserve in Lee County, Virginia. It protects the entrance to Unthanks Cave, which houses significant biological diversity and a wide variety of invertebrate life. The cave's streams drain a significant karst area south of the Powell River.[2]
A rare species of hydrobiid snail was first discovered in Unthanks Cave in 1986.[3] has since been found in additional cave streams in Lee County, with an additional population noted 310 miles (500 km) north in Skyline Caverns.[4] Additional unusual species found within the cave include a second hydrobiid snail, the Powell Valley planarian (), the Southwest Virginia cave isopod (), and a cave-dwelling carabid beetle.[5]
The only known entrance to the seven-mile-long (11 km) cave was purchased by The Nature Conservancy in 1987, and was the first cave system purchased in Virginia by the organization.[6] The Nature Conservancy gave the property to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation in 2004,[2] although they continue to conduct research at the site.[5]
Although previously popular with spelunkers due to the cave's large speleothems,[6] Unthanks Cave is today gated and inaccessible except for official scientific monitoring and inquiry.[2]
See also[]
- List of Virginia Natural Area Preserves
References[]
- ^ "Virginia Conservation Lands Database". Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve". Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- ^ Hershler, R. (1989). "Holsingeria unthanksensis, a new genus and species of aquatic cavesnail from eastern North America" (PDF). Malacological Review. 22 (1–2): 93–100. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ^ Dillon, R. T., Jr.; Watson, B.T.; Stewart, T. W. (2006). "Species Account: Holsingeria unthanksensis". Freshwater Gastropods of North America. Department of Biology, College of Charleston. Retrieved December 27, 2016.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- ^ Jump up to: a b "About Unthanks Cave in Virginia". Nature.org. The Nature Conservancy. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Lazarus, Elizabeth (June 25, 1987). "Conservancy Buys Cave with Rare Species". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
External links[]
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- Virginia Natural Area Preserves
- Protected areas of Lee County, Virginia
- Protected areas established in 2004
- Landforms of Lee County, Virginia
- Caves of Virginia
- Virginia protected area stubs
- Heart of Appalachia, Virginia geography stubs