Practical care for caves in Slovakia - Speleological guard servicea

Slovakia has at present more than 5,400 known caves out of which 185 most important has been closed. The Slovak Caves Administration closed 83 caves since 2002. Fifteen cave closures were reconstructed. Four abysses were fenced to prevent from pollution, falling of wild animals or people. Cleaning the dangerous waste from caves and abysses is very important task in keeping natural and sustainable state of karst environment. Seven speleological localities were cleaned in this period.

Speleological guard service – rangers

The number of speleological rangers specialized on cave protection rose by 4 members in 2005. They come from the territorial groups Považský Inovec, Dolné Orešany and JS A. Vallu: Ing. Ivan Demovič, RNDr. Daniel Moravanský PhD., Alexander Lačný, Ján Muráň. We had to finish the cooperation with Miroslav Jurečka from the Territorial group Ružomberok. The total number of contract members of the speleological guard service was 44 rangers, who sent 775 reports in 2005. The most important were breaking of the gate of the Líščia Cave in the Valley of Vajskovský potok. Damaging the gate of the Čachtická Cave in Malé Karpaty. In both cases we have filed a criminal announcement to police on unknown delinquent damaging other people’s property. Another serious act of of damaging and theft of palaeontological findings in Izabela Textorisová Cave is also under investigation by police. In this case the rangers played the decisive role at control and monitoring of the cave from the time of stealing the bones of cave bear and damaging the palaeontological layers to construction of gate and securing the protection of the locality. The repeated pollution of a big doline near Važec at the Konská diera Cave was reported by the ranger Ing. Peter Holúbek. SCA filed a motion on the inspection for the environment in Košice. It is sad to say that shortly before this finding the previous pollution was removed from the same place. Breaking of law was also reported from the Mojtínska Cave in case of sacral use. The case is under investigation.

The world of caves is sensitive to anthropogenic influence and easily vulnerable, which is connectes with a high demands on the speleological guard service that is playing a decisive role in protection of surface and underground karst systems. The monitoring of karst waters pollution is also important with its high impact on the quality of the environment. Prevention is applied in the environmental education by lectures for young people on elementary schools or at other events. The rangers cooperate with nature protection organizations and police.

Pavol Staník and Igor Balciar