Birds, Bones, Caves and Conservation

As part of part of the Conservation Week 2019 Underworld Adventures would like to invite the local community to experience and learn about one of the most precious parts of the West Coast - the fragile cave and karst landscape in our backyard.

This evening will start with a presentation from local scientist Kerry-Jayne Wilson sharing 'What do old bones in caves tell us about conservation?“ Followed by a guided excursion into the Metro/Te Ananui Cave System, with the rare opportunity to experience the Main Cave Entrance at night time illuminated by millions of glow-worms.

Underworld Adventures and Kerry-Jayne Wilson invite you to a night filled with underground stories, food for thought and a sparkling underground experiences understanding what the theme “Nature needs us” means in relation to the caves and karst on the West Coast.

6pm – 6:15 pm Start and ‘A warm welcome’ - The team from Underworld Adventures will welcome our guest for the night and introduce the guest speaker Kerry-Jayne Wilson.

6.15pm - 7pm "'What do old bones in caves tell us about conservation?' - Local scientist and Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit – in the Honours for services to seabird conservation holder Kerry-Jayne Wilson will share with us her interest in old bones in caves and why they excited her interest in the NZ bird fauna. She was involved in the collection of bones from caves and delivery to the Canterbury Museum.

Old bones in caves were the genesis of her first book 'Flight of the Huia'. Her first contact with Charleston was Easter 1968 when the newly formed Canterbury Caving Group camped in Eureka Hall. She will illustrate how old bones in caves have given us crucial insights into the evolution, biogeography and extinctions of the NZ bird fauna and have played important roles in shaping our approach to conservation today.

Old bones in caves are indeed an appropriate thing to discuss in a conservation week, especially since some of the most important research has been done in the Punakaiki/Charleston area and the Oparara.

7.00-9.30 pm "Cave and GlowWorm Tour into the Metro/Te Ananui Cave System” - Meeting up with our guides and equipped with helmets we will take the Nile River Rainforest Train at dawn through the stunning West Coast rainforest surrounded by limestone cliffs disappearing in the last light of the day. Reaching the train station a short stroll including a steep walk 135 steeps leads to the stunning entrance of the of Metro/Te Ananui Cave System.

Underground we will explore an ancient wonderland of stalactites, stalagmites in the large dry upper cave levels, experience the mesmerizing sight of the Main Entrance, discovering huge galaxies of glow-worms in the awe-inspiring Ananui entrance series. We will return back through the cave to our train and finish at our base in Charleston.

9:30 pm – Finish at the Underworld Adventures base in Charleston

Information: Please bring warm clothes and footwear, a rainjacket and sturdy footwear for the cave tour. You must be able to walk unassisted for up to two hours on uneven surfaces. Minimum age is 5 years. Helmets will be supplied for the cave tour.

Price: 25 $ pp (5 $ will be denoted to the West Coast Blue Pinguin Trust). Please pay on the day preferably in cash at our Adventure Center.

Bookings: Please RSVP to Underworld Adventures since space is limited to 20.

This event is part of Conservation Week 2019 - www.conservationweek.org.nz