KATCHAL ISLAND CAVE

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Two unspecified cave entrances (unidentified shape, unidentified dimensions, unidentified orientation, unidentified characteristics), both obstructed by water, are said to give access to a cave characterised by two inner chambers, with restricted entry due to water. The ceiling of the cave ranged from less than 3 to 7 m. A freshwater stream originated from the cave (BANDANA AUL & MARIMUTHU 2007: 913). ETYMOLOGY: No autochthonous, indigenous or locally known name has been identified for this cave called after the island named Katchal BANDANA AUL & MARIMUTHU 2007: 913) Katchall India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 123 G4) Katchell SMITH, G (1882: 142) Tehnyu SITUATION: The Nicobar archipelago island of Katchell, S.E. of Terressa (SMITH, G 1882: 142) or Teressa (note 1), from which it is divided by a safe channel, is covered with wood (SMITH, G 1882: 142), covers an area of 160 sq km, is hilly, culminates at 255 m asl, and composed of calcareous sandstone and marbly slate, formed in eep seas during the Tertiary period (BODEN KLOSS 1903 edited 1995b: 117). SITUATION 2007: Somewhere inside the forest on Katchal Island (BANDANA AUL & MARIMUTHU 2007: 913). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1882: Caves with guano deposits (SMITH, G 1882: 142). CAVE LIFE: The cave harboured a colony of about 500 individuals of a microchiropteran bat H. d. nicobarensis [Hipposideros diadema nicobarensis Geoffey 1813]. … Majority of individuals hung separately without touching each other. We observed an albino H. d. nicobarensis roosting together with all other individuals of the colony. The pelage of its entire body was white and eyes were red. It was a male with forearm length 65.8 mm and body mass 25.0 g. Apart from H. d. nicobarensis, the edible nest swiftlets Collocalia ficiphaga [fuciphaga?] occupied the highest ceiling of the cave, with no bats roosting nearer them. Pit vipers (Trimeresurus sp.) were also found near the entrance of the cave. In an observation, a viper disgorged the contents of itsstomach that contained an albino H. d. nicobarensis (BANDANA AUL & MARIMUTHU 2007: 913).stomach that contained an albino H. d. nicobarensis (BANDANA AUL & MARIMUTHU 2007: 913).