DOBHAKOL, Nengkhong Chibigiri

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A cave entrance with no specified shape or dimensions, which faces an unspecified direction, gives not only access to an obvious sink or, perhaps, an exsurgence, but also allows the ascent across loose rubble and boulder to the day roost of a bat colony in a rift chamber. ETYMOLOGY: No locally known name has been identified for this bat cave (in Garo: dobhakol) but Dr. vet. Rob Harper (2008.02.17 Mss: Makkrekol 2.pdf) recorded the field name Makkre kol (macaque cave) in addition to the Alternative Cave Name: Monkey Cave NO. 2 -- perhaps because monkeys do not enter caves without a backdoor. SITUATION: According to Harper (Makkrekol 2.pdf), a local guide [is] essential to explain the whereabouts of Monkey Cave NO. 2 as it was understood to lie somewhere near one of the nine distinct Nengkhong villages in the vicinity of the confluence (N25°18'13”: E090°36'52” WGS84) of the Chibe River and the Rongdik. According to the recorded GPS position (note 1), the entrance to this cave lie some 250 m in a direct line north-west from the western (orographically right) bank of the Chibe River, 345 m in a direct line south-west from the entrance to the –>Makkrekol at Nengkhong Jantagirigiri, and about 1.7 km in a direct line NNE from the village of Nengkhong Rangmatma (note 2). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The obvious stream sink in boulders at the foot of a cliff was hopelessly choked but a 3 m free-climb above the sink gained a 3 by 2 m large passage. From here, 12 m steeply ascending loose rubble and boulder slope entered a large rift chamber (25 by 3 by 5 m) with a high aven at the far end (Harper 2008.02.17 Mss: Makkrekol 2.pdf). CAVE LIFE: On 17th February 2008, Rob Harper (2008.02.17 Mss: Makkrekol 2.pdf) noticed huge numbers of bats (Chiroptera spp.). some 250 m in a direct line north-west from the western (orographically right) bank of the Chibe River, 345 m in a direct line south-west from the entrance to the –>Makkrekol at Nengkhong Jantagirigiri, and about 1.7 km in a direct line NNE from the village of Nengkhong Rangmatma (note 2). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The obvious stream sink in boulders at the foot of a cliff was hopelessly choked but a 3 m free-climb above the sink gained a 3 by 2 m large passage. From here, 12 m steeply ascending loose rubble and boulder slope entered a large rift chamber (25 by 3 by 5 m) with a high aven at the far end (Harper 2008.02.17 Mss: Makkrekol 2.pdf). CAVE LIFE: On 17th February 2008, Rob Harper (2008.02.17 Mss: Makkrekol 2.pdf) noticed huge numbers of bats (Chiroptera spp.).