Nazodelavo Cave Natural Monument

42°30′21.9″N 42°13′16.3″E / 42.506083°N 42.221194°E / 42.506083; 42.221194Area0.14 km² (0.054 sq mi)Established2013Governing bodyAgency of Protected AreasWebsiteNazodelavo Cave Natural Monument

Nazodelavo Cave Natural Monument (Georgian: ნაზოდელავოს მღვიმე) is a karst cave 6.8 km to the north from village Akhuti in Chkhorotsqu Municipality in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region of Georgia.^[1] Cave is located on the left bank of river Zana (Khobi river tributary), 290 meters above sea level.^[2] Nazodelavo means the dwelling of Zodelavos. According to cave narratives, it was used as a means of defense in the middle ages.^[3]

Morphology

Nazodelavo karst cave formed in a conglomerates of the Neogene geologic period in Odishi plain karst massif.^[4] Cave is 600 m long with main tunnel average width of 4 m and height 3 m. The two main outlets are narrower and shorter than the main cave tunnel. A cold underground river with clear water flows through an erosion canyon in cave floor. In some places depth of the erosion canyon reaches 7-8 meters.^[5]^[6]

Fauna

In the cave and in the surrounding area on the surface there are summer moths. The inhabitants of the cave include Lepidocyrtus, Folsomia and Oxychilus.^[4]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nazodelao Cave Natural Monument.

^ Nazodelavo Cave in Georgia Protected Planet
^ (in Georgian) Nazodelavo Cave Natural Monument
^ (in Georgian) ნაზოდელავოს მღვიმე
^ ^a ^b Barjadze, Sh., Arabuli, T., Mumladze, L., Maghradze, E., Asanidze, Z., Kutalia T. Nazodelavo Cave 2019, Cave Biodiversity of Georgia, Open Access Database. Institute of Zoology at Ilia State University
^ Nazodelavo Cave page 271 in Perspectives in Geomorphology, Volume 1 Concept Publishing Company
^ (in Georgian) ბუნების ძეგლი სოლკოტას მღვიმის ბუნების ძეგლი - წყალტუბო