T he diversity of vertebrate animals in caves is not nearly as great as that of the invertebrates. Many species of bats are well adapted for cave life, but they must return to the surface to feed. Several Illinois bats are threatened or endangered at the state level . T he invertebrates found in caves form an unusual and diverse assemblage of creatures, including snails, flatworms, spiders, springtails, cave crickets, millipedes, flies, aquatic isopods, amphipods, and beetles. Some of these species are slow moving, pale in coloration, blind, and bear long appendages - these are the stygobites and troglobites, adapted for life underground.
T wo documents help provide some legal protection for our cave resources.
These are The Federal Cave Resources Protection Act of 1988 and the Illinois Cave Protection Act . Illinois' land of 10,000 sinkholes. Delineation of recharge areas for four biologically significant caves in Monroe and St. Clair Counties, Illinois. An unpublished Ozark Underground Laboratory report to the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission and the Monroe County Soil and Water Conservation District. Allen, J. 1999.