Lava caves of the Republic of Mauritius, Indian Ocean
In their Underground Atlas, MIDDLETON & WALTHAM (1986) dismissed Mauritius as: “very old volcanic islands with no speleological interest”. Recent investigations indicate this judgement is inaccurate; there are over 50 significant caves, including lava tube caves up to 687 m long (one 665 m long...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of South Florida Libraries
1998-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Speleology |
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| Online Access: | http://www.ijs.speleo.it/pdf/9.77.27_MiddletonMauritius.pdf |
| _version_ | 1819296641181548544 |
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| author | Gregory J. Middleton |
| author_facet | Gregory J. Middleton |
| author_sort | Gregory J. Middleton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In their Underground Atlas, MIDDLETON & WALTHAM (1986) dismissed Mauritius as: “very old volcanic islands with no speleological interest”. Recent investigations indicate this judgement is inaccurate; there are over 50 significant caves, including lava tube caves up to 687 m long (one 665 m long was surveyed as early as 1769) and 35 m wide. Plaine des Roches contains the most extensive system of lava tube caves with underground drainage rising at the seashore. Notable fauna includes an insectivorous bat and a cave swiftlet (Collocalia francica), the nests of which are unfortunately prized for ‘soup”. The caves are generally not valued by the people and are frequently used for rubbish disposal or filled in for agricultural development. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T05:01:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-63438f7258974ff0bfb8aafa387a24bf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0392-6672 1827-806X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T05:01:20Z |
| publishDate | 1998-01-01 |
| publisher | University of South Florida Libraries |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Speleology |
| spelling | doaj.art-63438f7258974ff0bfb8aafa387a24bf2022-12-21T17:14:03ZengUniversity of South Florida LibrariesInternational Journal of Speleology0392-66721827-806X1998-01-01271-48793Lava caves of the Republic of Mauritius, Indian OceanGregory J. MiddletonIn their Underground Atlas, MIDDLETON & WALTHAM (1986) dismissed Mauritius as: “very old volcanic islands with no speleological interest”. Recent investigations indicate this judgement is inaccurate; there are over 50 significant caves, including lava tube caves up to 687 m long (one 665 m long was surveyed as early as 1769) and 35 m wide. Plaine des Roches contains the most extensive system of lava tube caves with underground drainage rising at the seashore. Notable fauna includes an insectivorous bat and a cave swiftlet (Collocalia francica), the nests of which are unfortunately prized for ‘soup”. The caves are generally not valued by the people and are frequently used for rubbish disposal or filled in for agricultural development.http://www.ijs.speleo.it/pdf/9.77.27_MiddletonMauritius.pdfvulcanospeleologylava tubesMauritius |
| spellingShingle | Gregory J. Middleton Lava caves of the Republic of Mauritius, Indian Ocean International Journal of Speleology vulcanospeleology lava tubes Mauritius |
| title | Lava caves of the Republic of Mauritius, Indian Ocean |
| title_full | Lava caves of the Republic of Mauritius, Indian Ocean |
| title_fullStr | Lava caves of the Republic of Mauritius, Indian Ocean |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lava caves of the Republic of Mauritius, Indian Ocean |
| title_short | Lava caves of the Republic of Mauritius, Indian Ocean |
| title_sort | lava caves of the republic of mauritius indian ocean |
| topic | vulcanospeleology lava tubes Mauritius |
| url | http://www.ijs.speleo.it/pdf/9.77.27_MiddletonMauritius.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gregoryjmiddleton lavacavesoftherepublicofmauritiusindianocean |