Brazil has some of the largest and most beautiful caves known in the whole world.
Further study of Brazilian karst regions may lead to the discovery of tens of thousands of new caves, and for the past 15 years, more than 100 new caves have been discovered annually. The underground environment is generally characterized by the absence of light, and the consequent lack of chlorophyll-producing vegetation, as well as only slight variations in temperature and humidity. The ecosystems which are present tend to be very unique and fragile. These ecosystems, however, house a wide variety of cave fauna, including highly specialized animals which are often restricted to such environments. With more than 600 species already recorded, the cave fauna in Brazil is the richest in South America.