CHAMERE GUFA, Bhimad

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 15/07/2016

»The second cave [at Bimalnagar near Damauli, Tanahun district] was known to locals as Chomeru Gupha [Bat Cave]. It was located further up the hillside [from Siddha Gupha, Bhimad] and deeper into the jungle … Several spiders as large as my fist could be seen lurking in the ceiling and after 8 m a strong draught could be felt. After 25 m [of crawling and stooping] the passage rose up into a chamber [about 35 m by 10 m wide and up to 12 m high] with another entrance [about 8 m by 10 m large] onto the hillside. … After a brief exploration we emerged onto the hillside and went down to the Ziddhi Khola to wash« (PICKERING 1994a). CAVE LIFE: Nicola PICKERING (1994a) noticed in the Bat Cave at Bhimad not only »spiders as large as my fist« (Arachnidae: Aranea: Sparassidae: conf. Heteropoda sp.) but also observed bats (Chiroptera) and noticed bat guano: »The chamber houses at least 10,000 bats. The noise was incredible - so was the stench. Rows upon rows of beady orange eyes lit up as I tried to estimate the number of bats.«