Protection of the Domica Cave

The reasons for protection of the cave

The Domica Cave is an example of the development of a specific and unique karst geologic system with features of extraordinary nature beauty. The cave together with the protective zone includes all the components of ecosystem. It is the richest cave finding place of the Bukk Culture altogether. The Domica-Baradla Cave System is a case of the most characteristic and the largest natural system of subterranean passages of the plateau karst, which spreads on the territory of Slovakia and Hungary.

The impairs of the original status

Before ensuring legal protection, but even after, that the cave is endangered above all by agriculture activities and by functioning of a tourist resort in the vicinity. Observation of the chemical properties of water in the cave substantiated that the sources of pollution on the surface continue in their activities and consequently they are causing a pollution in the cave. Recurrence of secondary phosphates brings about corrosion of carbonates. At the same time during heavy rainfall a downpour floods the cave spaces and this way causes the soils are flushed from the surface and fill the passages of the cave.

The Dome of the Indian Pagodas (80kB).

The protection steps

The Domica Cave is the Protected Nature Phenomena, which was declared by Amendment of the Ministry of Culture of SSR No.9279/1972-OP from December 28, 1972 on base Act on State Protection of Nature No.1 /1955 Zb. from 1955. From 1995 the Act on Environment Protection took effect that all caves are the National Monuments.

Protection of the cave is ensuring by organizations: The Management of the Slovak karst Protected Landscape Area, The District Administration for the Environment of the Roznava district and The Management of the Slovak Show Caves. Each year a checkup of an observation of the protective conditions is carried out in the cave. The cave is closed by steel doors. A part of the cave is shown for public in two tours. An access in the other parts is possible with a permit of the Management of the Slovak Shown Caves only.

The research of the hydrologic and hydrochemical conditions, the microbiologic measurements of the air in cave for a speleotherapeutics and physical research of the sinter development were realized in last time. Protection of the cave is ensured also in the frame of the Protected Landscape Area of the Slovak karst, which was in 1977 included into the international network of biospheric reservations.

SLOVAKIA CAVE SERVER prepared by Eduard Kladiva (Old Cave Dog) from Speleoclub CASSOVIA . Please send all comments, notes and corrections on e-mail kladiva@saske.sk.