Cape Hangklip Caves

Trip Date: 2024-05-08

Oresti took me to Hangklip Cave on Hangklip. We spent 3 hours looking for the cave, and found a new, 4m deep, vertical shaft while searching. The sides of the entrance are very sandy, and it looks like a potentially dangerous descent.

The Hangklip Cave was probably a large chamber that has collapsed, and there a number of entrances into the cave. A stream runs through one side of the cave.

The largest residents of the cave were a small colony of Rhinolophus and Miniopterus bats. I saw about 20 bats. Oresti said the colony was far larger on his previous visit, so the cave is probably a seasonal roost.

There were Paramelita in the stream and many Wishbone spider tunnel openings in the floor. These entrances ranged from a few millimeters in diameter to approximately 10mm.

Oresti saw small cave crickets, but I did not see them, so that will be something to search for on the next visit.

Posted on 08 de maio de 2024, 05:32 PM by peterswart