The project “Conservation of the cave fauna of Greece” has started!

At the 1st of September 2016 began the two-year project entitled “Conservation of cave fauna of Greece” which is funded by the MAVA Foundation and WWF Greece. Its take-up, and especially the actions that will be undertaken, are the most important milestone in the activity of the Institute.

 

Objectives of the program:

• Reviewing the situation and the need to preserve cave and cave fauna in Greece in terms of existing knowledge (what is known today).
• Organizing and identifying the species of the scientific cave invertebrate collection, which was created mainly in the period 1984-2004 and includes thousands of samples from hundreds of caves in Greece.
• Creation of an online database of information from the collection of INSPEE and published works on caves and cavernous species. Access to this site will be free to anyone interested through the website of INSPEE.
• Updating with all these data the relevant European and international Internet databases (IUCN redlist, Fauna Europaea, etc.)
• With the power and scientific validity of the above information, targeted initiatives will be undertaken to protect important areas with caves and cavernous species.
• Training of young speleologists on the protection of caves and cave fauna through seminars to be held in speleological associations throughout Greece.