Cave Animal of the Year

Caves represent critical ecosystems that house specialized and fragile species. The "Cave Animal of the Year" campaign was initiated to bring these environments into public focus. 

The International Union of Speleology UIS is joining the Cave Animal of the Year campaigns since the International Year of Caves and Karst 2021/2022 by inventing an International Cave Animal of the Year.

The campaign’s influence has grown now under the UIS’s Biology Commission umbrella. Every year, a selected species serves as a focal point for educational and conservation activities in the participating countries.

Find out more about

International Cave Animals of the Years

National Cave Animals of the Years 

The Cave Animal of the Year campaigns will be presented at the International Congress of Speleology 2025 in Brazil. It will take place from July 20 to 27 in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais.

The program provides a Subterranean Biology Symposium and Sessions.

International Congress of Speleology 2025