AMLARENG CAVE 2

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A NNW-facing cave entrance (about one square metre in size) in sandstone boulders gives access to a seasonal stream sink and cave in a bed of calcareous sandstone. In several places there are areas of speleothems (both stalactites, including “straws” and stalagmites). The cave is generally scoured clean of sediment although accumulations exist in the deeper intersecting cross rifts (Smart, C M 2012.02.28 Mss Krem Almoner 2). ETYMOLOGY: See Krem –>Amlareng 1 above. Krem Amlreng 2 was used to distinguish it from the nearby Krem Amlreng 1 (Smart, C M 2012.02.28 Mss Krem Almoner 2). SITUATION: The NNW-facing cave entrance to Krem Almoner 2 lies in an unspecified spatial relation to the SSE-facing cave entrance of Krem –>Amlareng 1 or a short distance away (Smart, C M 2012.02.28 Mss Krem Amlreng 1). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The 1metre2 entrance that faces north north west, drops down through sandstone boulders into a 20 m by 8 m wide and about 1.4 m high cave chamber. On the opposite side of the hamber from the entrance, a squeeze between boulders or an easy climb over boulders enters a dry (February 2012) stream way. This can be followed down dip in what appears to be a calcareous sandstone bed. The route is generally of crawling height, although intersecting rifts every ten or so metres that cross the stream way at right angles allow one to stand up. After approximately 100 m the stream way becomes active with a very slow tickle of water. Fifty metres [50 m] further on two pools of water, 3 m to 4 m in diameter are reached (Smart, C M 2012.02.28 Mss Krem Amlreng 2). CAVE POTENTIAL - prospects: A way on continues in the same bed of calcareous sandstone that forms the cave, over the rock barrier that forms the downstream barrier of the last two ponds. The bed is approximately 0.6 m high and 2 m wide (Smart, C M 2012.02.28 Mss Krem Amlreng 2). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: The cave has been used previously to catch both fish and bats (Smart, C M 2012.02.28 Mss Krem Amlreng 2).CAVE LIFE: The two pools approximately 150 m into the cave contained on 28th February 2012 more than 20 fish (these appear to be blind, colourless / white and up to about 10 cm long), several crayfish and at least one prawn. A single bat, approximately 15 cm long with its wings wrapped tightly around its body was seen near the squeeze close to the entrance (Smart, C M 2012.02.28 Mss Krem Amlreng 2). Keywords: Crustacea: Decapoda; Pisces; Chiroptera (conf. Rhinolophus aut Hipposideros).