Indiana Wyandotte Caves
This is the most popular of 4 completely unique cave systems in this part of the state
Wyandotte Caves, a pair of limestone caves located on the Ohio River in Harrison-Crawford State Forest in Crawford County, five miles (8 km) north-east of Leavenworth and 12 miles (19 km) from Corydon in southern Indiana, is a popular tourist attraction. Wyandotte Caves were designated a National Natural Landmark in 1972. It is now part of O'Bannon Woods State Park. The cave system is the largest in the state of Indiana.[1]
The term "Wyandotte Caves" is used to refer to Wyandotte Cave (sometimes called the "Historic Cave") and Little Wyandotte Cave, also called Siberts Cave and sometimes called the "New Cave", but the two caves are completely different. They are located very close to each other, and are owned and managed by the same entity. There the resemblance ends.
Cave life
Bats
Indiana is home to 12 native species of bats. Wyandotte Cave is occupied by members of nine of those 12 species; the total bat population is over 30,000. The most common bat in the cave is the endangered Myotis sodalis, (commonly known as the Indiana Bat), followed by the Myotis lucifugus (commonly known as the little brown bat).[7]
Little Wyandotte cave rarely gets bats, as the only entrance to that cave is less than 200 years old, and humans have been present in that cave on a regular basis since it first opened. However, the occasional adventurous bat will venture in.
The presence of hibernating bats in the winter is the main reason that the caves are closed to the public from the first of November until February 28. Bats can occasionally be seen by the lucky visitor during the rest of the year, but they are far less numerous and less likely to be disturbed in the warmer months.
Salamanders
Cave salamanders can often be seen in the entrance area of Wyandotte cave.
Fish
Blind cavefish are rarely seen in the larger of Wyandotte Caves, as it is very dry in modern times. Little Wyandotte Cave, however, is much wetter than the historic cave, but still contains no fish. The only living aquatic life found is bacteria.
Crickets
Cave crickets abound in the smaller cave, and some occasionally enter into the larger cave. They are often eaten by snakes, however.
