Cavinti Underground River and Caves Complex
| Cavinti Underground River and Caves Complex | |
|---|---|
Location within the Province of Laguna | |
| Location | Cavinti, Laguna, Philippines |
| Coordinates | 14°16′50.85″N 121°38′5.68″E / 14.2807917°N 121.6349111°E[1] |
| Elevation | 280 meters (920 ft) |
| Discovery | 2011 |
| Geology | Limestone karst |
| Entrances | Multiple |
| Access | With guides |
| Show cave opened | 2013 |
| Features | Speleogen |
The Cavinti Underground River and Caves Complex (CURCC) is a cave system in the eastern part of Laguna, Philippines. It lies within barangay Paowin in the municipality of Cavinti. This area is part of the southern Sierra Madre range, a rugged karst landscape in which there are a number of limestone caves. The CURCC includes subterranean rivers and other water flow, leading to active speleogen growth.
The caves are about 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) from the nearest village, and are surrounded by forest. This landscape supports a variety of species, including some that are locally and globally endangered. Some arthropod species have been described from specimens collected from the site. In 2013, the cave system opened as a tourist attraction operated by the Cavinti government. Tourism and its associated development, including the construction of a paved road to the site, has affected both the caves and their surrounding environment.
Location
The CURCC (14°16'50.85"N, 121°38'5.68"E)[1]: 572 is located within barangay Paowin in the municipality of Cavinti, around 15 minutes drive from the municipal center.[2] This eastern part of the province of Laguna contains part of the Sierra Madre mountain range. It has a dry season from March to May and a wet season for the other months.[3]: 56 The southern Sierra Madre is a distinct ecological area that remains underresearched, and consists of rugged terrain which contains a number of limestone cave systems.[4]: 2062
The CURCC is surrounded by natural forest and lies around 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) from the nearest settlement.[1]: 572 [3]: 56 This karst forest is mostly secondary growth, dominated by Melastomataceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Ficus species. Surrounding this forest is agricultural land for crops such as coconuts.[5]: 152 However, there are some spots of old-growth forest.[4]: 2065 The main river flowing through the site is the Lalangawan River.[6]
History and tourism
The cave system was discovered by a local logger either in 1980[5]: 152 or 2011.[7] The Department of Environment and Natural Resources classifies the caves as Class II, meaning portions can be used by the public if accompanied by official guides.[4]: 2062 [6] It was opened to tourists on March 30, 2013. Tourist activities are managed by the Cavinti local government,[2] with visitors required to register at the local tourism office.[7]
Three caves are open to tourists: the Cathedral, Minalokan, and Kalaw caves.[3]: 56 The entrance to Cathedral cave (14°16'54.48"N, 121°38'9.66"E) lies 280 meters (920 ft) above sea level, while the entrance to Minalokan cave (14°16'53.88"N, 121°37'58.44"E) lies 295 meters (968 ft) above sea level. Both are large caves with multiple entrances. Each has an underground river flowing through it.[4]: 2062 Minalokan cave can be accessed through what are referred to as its first and second floors. The first floor has a river flowing through it, while the second has a smaller stream. A third floor is also accessible from within the cave.[8]: 54 The water in the caves forms rivers, pools, and waterfalls.[1]: 572 Entering the caves can require wading through this water.[7] The cave floors are covered in guano.[8]: 54
The active water flow in the caves means that speleothems actively form from the surrounding limestone.[9] The resulting formations are a tourist draw. One formation is called the "fountain of youth", and produces safe drinking water.[6][7]
As the site is both managed and relatively remote, human disturbance is limited.[4]: 2066 However, a paved road constructed from the main barangay village that stops 250 meters (820 ft) from Cathedral cave directly impacted the environment, while also resulting in more nearby construction and an increase in tourists.[4]: 2062, 2065 There is also visible damage in Minalokan cave, including stalactite mining and graffiti.[8]: 54
Biodiversity
A study published in 2023 found the site had a terrestrial vertebrate Shannon's Diversity Index of 1.771.[4]: 2065 Endangered terrestrial vertebrates present include Amboina box turtle and Crab-eating macaque, while vulnerable species include Gray's monitor, the Philippine eagle-owl, the rufous hornbill, and the white-winged flying fox. Further, some species are considered locally endangered or threatened. The aforementioned Philippine eagle-owl, rufous hornbill, and Gray's monitor are considered locally endangered. The indigo-banded kingfisher, Philippine hanging parrot, and amethyst brown dove are locally critically endangered. The white-browed shama, Luzon hornbill, and white-winged flying fox are locally threatened. Amphibians present include the common tree frog. Introduced species include the tanezumi rat.[4]: 2066, 2071–2075 Grey-rumped swiftlets reside within the caves.[8]: 54
There are species from at least four bat families in the caves and surrounding forest. These species include the lesser short-nosed fruit bat, Philippine dawn bat, cave nectar bat, Fischer's pygmy fruit bat, diadem leaf-nosed bat, large Asian roundleaf bat, Philippine pygmy roundleaf bat, Philippine long-fingered bat, Horsfield's bat, greater musky fruit bat, arcuate horseshoe bat, Philippine forest horseshoe bat, large rufous horseshoe bat, and Geoffroy's rousette.[1]: 572 [5]: 153–154 [10] The insectivorous species host a larger number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria than the others, possibly reflecting greater interaction with agricultural environments.[1]: 577 Insectivorous bats also show high levels of infection by parasitic worms, including those from the Acanthatrium, Nycteridostrongylus, Prosthodendrium, Plagiorchis, Toxocara, and Vampirolepis genera. Species that live in the caves also have a higher rate of infection.[5]: 154, 156, 160 Bacterial parasites of frugivore bats include Mycoplasmoidaceae, Helicobacteriaceae, and Neisseriaceae species.[11]
There are 41 species of fungus identified, a majority being saprotrophic. Common species include Daldinia concentrica, Rigidoporus microporus, Auricularia auricula, Lentinus tigrinus, Schizophyllum commune, and Microporus xanthopus. The 41 species come from 34 genera and 20 families.[3]: 57
The stick insect Stenobrimus pilipinus was described from the site's forest.[12]: 785 This species may be part of a species complex with other Stenobrimus species, with all known Stenobrimus species being endemic to the Philippines.[12]: 794
The Diplura species Parajapyx rarosorum was described in 2023 from a holotype found in Minalokan cave. This was the fourth dipluran species identified in the Philippines, and the second Parajapyx species.[8]: 55 The mites Eremobelba okinawa, Allogalumna dilatata, Galumna vladopesici, Mirogalumna leytensis, Pergalumna bimaculata, Pergalumna panayensis,[13] and Lupaeus dentatus have been found in the plant litter surrounding the caves.[14]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Lou Gene B Sibal; Glaezel Angelique T Barredo; Noel G Sabino; Marian P de Leon (June 2025). "Antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative Bacteria from the Fecal Pellets of Bats Collected from the Cavinti Underground River and Cave Complex, Cavinti, Laguna, the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Journal of Science. 154 (3): 571–580. ISSN 0031-7683.
- ^ a b Ryan Joseph G Calinao; Danielle Ann R Daniel; Mark Lourenz R Maldia (October 2021). "Predictors of Geotourism in Cavinti, Laguna, Philippines Underground River and Cave Complex" (PDF). Asia Pacific Journal of Management and Sustainable Development. 9 (2): 2. ISSN 2782-8557.
- ^ a b c d Jennifer M Niem; Manuel M Baldovino (2015). "Initial checklist of macrofungi in the karst area of Cavinti, Laguna" (PDF). UPLB Museum Publications in Natural History. 4.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Renz Angelo J Duco; Anna Pauline O de Guia; Judeline C Dimalibot; Julius A Parcon; Edison A Cosico; Charlie R Malizon; Ammie R Aguila; Phillip A Alviola; Juan Carlos T Gonzalez (December 2023). "Terrestrial Vertebrate Diversity of Caves and Limestone Forests in Southern Sierra Madre Mountain Range, Luzon Island, Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Journal of Science. 152 (6A): 2061–2075. doi:10.56899/152.6A.03. ISSN 0031-7683.
- ^ a b c d R A J Duco; G G Villancio; V G V Paller; P A Alviola (2024). "Gastrointestinal parasitic helminths of bats from a cave in Luzon Island, Philippines" (PDF). Helminthologia. 61 (2): 151–165. doi:10.2478/helm-2024-0016.
- ^ a b c Jashley Ann Cruz (April 21, 2022). "Your ultimate guide to Cavinti Cave". GMA. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ a b c d Joseph Bautista (March 3, 2023). "Finding the fountain of youth inside the Cavinti Cave". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e Marnelli S Alviola; Cristian C Lucañas; Aimee Lynn A Barrion-Dupo; Orlando L Eusebio; Camille Faith D Duran; Ma. Francia Kyla M Cammayo; Maria Niña Rica T Cantalejo; Kirk J Taray; Ireneo L Lit Jr. (2024). "A new species of Parajapyx (Diplura: Parajapygidae) from Minalokan Cave, Cavinti, Laguna, Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Journal of Systematic Biology. doi:10.26757/pjsb202317009.
- ^ Marian P. De Leon; Lou Gene B. Sibal; Noel G. Sabino (November 21, 2025). "Fun Guys of the Dark: Fungi in Cave Ecosystems and Other Extreme Environments". In Jonathan Jaime G. Guerrero; Marian P. De Leon; Rohani B. Cena-Navarro; Kin Israel R. Notarte; Mark Angelo O. Balendres; Thomas Edison E. dela Cruz (eds.). Mycology in a Changing Planet: Applications and Perspectives from Southeast Asia. Springer. pp. 382–383.
- ^ Bonie B Datul; Ronilo Jose D Flores; Andrew D Montecillo; Marian P De Leon (2024). "Gut bacterial community profile of frugivorous bats from Cathedral Cave in Cavinti, Laguna, Philippines". Microbiology Resource Announcements. 13 (9). doi:10.1128/mra.00426-24.
- ^ Russel T Santos; Ronilo Jose D Flores; Andrew D Montecillo; Marian P De Leon (2025). "Mapping the bacterial diversity and functional landscape of the Philippine bat gut microbiome using a 16S-based metataxonomics approach" (PDF). Journal of the Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering. 18 (2): 288. ISSN 2799-189X.
- ^ a b Ireneo L Lit Jr.; Orlando L Eusebio; Cristian C Lucañas; Aimee Lynn A Barrion-Dupo; Kristine O Abenis; Kirk J Taray; Marnelli S Alviola; Jeremy Carlo B Naredo (June 2023). "Synoptic Review of Stenobrimus Redtenbacher, 1906 (Phasmatodea: Heteropterygidae: Obriminae), with the Description of a New Species from the Cavinti Karst Landscape, Laguna, Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Journal of Science. 152 (3): 783–796. ISSN 0031-7683.
- ^ Sergey G Ermilov; Leonila Corpuz-Raros (September 7, 2015). "Additions to the Philippine oribatid mite fauna (Acari, Oribatida), with description of two new species". International Journal of Acarology. 41 (7): 606–616. doi:10.1080/01647954.2015.1085898.
- ^ Leonila A Corpuz-Raros; Jeremy C B Naredo; Rufino C Garcia (2019). "Additional contributions to the knowledge of Philippine predatory mites mainly of the subfamilies Cunaxinae and Cunaxoidinae (Acari: Prostigmata: Cunaxidae)". Acarologia. 59 (1): 134–151. doi:10.24349/acarologia/20194318.