TrogloxenesThe word TROGLO means hole. Trogloxenes are animalswho sometimes choose caves as their homes.

TroglobitesTroglobites are animals who only live incaves. They can’t survive anyplace else.

TroglophilesTroglophiles are animals who like to live in caves but also live elsewhere.

Blind shrimp

Copepod

Blind crayfish

Blind Texas Salamander

Blind millipedeBlind flatworm

Camel backed cave cricket

Blind cave beetle

Raccoon

Packrat

Little Brown Bat

Adult cave salamander

Harvestman(“Daddy longlegs”)

On the way back to camp, Jennyand Carlos are caught in a badstorm. They take shelter under a rock, at the entrance to a cave.When they crawl into the darkcave, they get lost. A talking batpromises to lead them out of the cave.

The bat helps Jenny and Carlosfind a flashlight. They can seestrangely shaped rocks and crystals all around them. A whitefish with no eyes swims in anunderground stream.

Jenny and Carlos meet more caveanimals. White crickets and beetleslive on piles of bat droppings. Theycan’t see in the dark. Instead, theyuse long feelers to find their way.

Dripping water and rock takethousands of years to form cavesculptures. Sometimes peoplebreak the formations and they are gone forever.

People have used caves for centuries.In one cavern, Jenny and Carlos areimpressed by paintings drawn byearly Americans thousands of yearsago. After they see the cave art, thebat leads the children out of the caveand they go back to camp.

Sea caves areformed by wavescrashing onrocky coastlines.

Ice caves are formedby water flowing under-neath glaciers of ice.Light passing throughthe ice makes thecaves blue.

Damage to Cave EnvironmentsWhen we visit caves, we must do no harm. Trash can kill cavewildlife. Graffiti makes the walls ugly and lasts forever. Cavefeatures take thousands of years to grow. A broken stalactiteor gypsum flower can’t be put back together. Future visitorswill want to see unspoiled caves as much as we do!

DANGER!Cave explorers always go in groups, never alone.If an accident does happen, cavers can help eachother or send for rescuers. Joining a caving clubis a good way to learn safe caving skills.

Lava caves are tubes that form whenmolten rock flows away from volcanoes.Cool air causes the rock to harden on theoutside, and when all the lava has drainedout, the tube becomes a cave.

Limestone cavesLava cavesGypsum cavesOther kinds of caves