Unthanks Cave Natural Area Preserve, Natural area preserve in Lee County, Virginia, US
Unthanks Cave is a protected natural area in Lee County, Virginia, containing seven miles of mapped underground passages. The cave system displays stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and rimstone formations that took thousands of years to develop.
The Nature Conservancy purchased the cave entrance in 1987, marking their first cave acquisition in Virginia. State management took over in 2004.
The preserve is home to rare cave species such as the Powell Valley planarian and Southwest Virginia cave isopod. These specialized creatures depend on the dark, moist conditions of this underground world.
The preserve is not open to the general public, as access is restricted to scientific research and monitoring activities only. Visitors interested in the site should contact state authorities to learn about protection rules and possible access options.
The underground streams here are home to Holsingeria unthanksensis, a tiny snail species discovered and named in 1986. This creature exists only within this cave system, showing how isolated underground environments develop their own life forms.
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