Anou Ifflis [Anu n'Iffis] [Gouffre du Léopard]

Histoire

Exploration of the cave began in 1980, when the Association Spéléologique de Montreuil reached -87 m after digging away an obstruction. In 1981, exploration was halted at -300 m when a tight Section was reached. This obstacle was passed in 1983, when two expeditions with the clubs of Li Darboun and Ragale and the Comité Spéléologique de l’Ile-de-France („Couscous 83“ expedition) pushed the cave to a sump at -975 m (other sources quote -992 m). In 1985, the Espeleo Club Gràcia (Barcelona) was able to pass the sump (which had been diminished by a long dry period), and were stopped on top of a pit at -1,007 m (Gascó 1985). Belgian cavers from Liège passed this obstacle in summer 1986 (Report in Regards 1987) and reached a depth of -1,159 m. In 1986 an international expedition - EC Gràcia (supported by the Algerian SC Boufarik) and ,Couscous 86° (cavers from Madrid, France and Australia) - continued exploration. Participants from Barcelona claimed to have reached a terminal sump at a depth of -1,159 m. However, when Belgian cavers from the club Equipe Spéléo-Nicolas tried to dive the terminal sump in 1988 they couldn’t reach the water level due to lack of rope at -1,170 m (Vanstraelen 1988). BTH - 22/10/2019