German Cave Animal of the Year 2027, Alpine Flatworm (Crenobia alpina) , Photo: Klaus Bogon
Convention on Biological Diversity COP 17
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The world will meet in Armenia from October 19 - 30 to discuss biodiversity. Speleology will be present to highlight subterranean geoecosystems. The hidden half of nature has to be part of all the discussions.
Biodiversity needs geodiversity!
Subterranean Fauna
Subterranean fauna is found worldwide, adapted to live in an underground environment. Troglofauna is associated with terrestrial subterranean environment (caves and underground spaces above the water table) and stygofauna with all kind of subterranean waters (groundwater, aquifers, subterranean rivers, dripping bowls, gours, etc.). Representatives of many animal groups, mostly arthropods and other invertebrates. However, there is a number of vertebrates (such as cavefishes and cave salamanders), although they are less common. Because of the complexity in exploring underground environments, many subterranean species are yet to be discovered and described.
Endangered
Cave animals are threatened by groundwater extraction, pollution, construction work, tourism and climate change.
German Cave Animal of the Year 2026
Cave Dwarf Amphipod (Crangonyx subterraneus). Photo: Klaus Bogon
CBD COP 17 NEWS
Day 2: Meeting with Jon Flanders from Bat Conservation International BCI. Further contacts with our generous Donor Succow Foundation arose in connection with projects.
Day 1: We had a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Environment of Indonesia discussing a resolution for karst ecosystems for UNEA8 next year. And we attended a meeting of IPBES to include subterranean ecosystems in the assessments.
The VdHK will be presented by Ana K. Celis at the CBD COP in Yerevan, Armenia. She will participate with the support of the Succow Foundation and the IUCN/WCPA Caves & Karst Specialist Group, UIS Karst and Cave Protection Commission, the UIS Biology Commission and the UIS Arts and Letters Commission.
October 08, 2026
Events with speleological input
Events with speleological input
Wednesday 21 October, 13:15 Armenian time
at Ashtarak - NGOs Group meeting room - Block 2, 3rd Floor
Event: Are We Counting What Counts? Marine Territories of Life and the Global Review of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
Presentation: Ana K. Celis “What are we not counting? Coastal karst and subterranean connectivity”
Hosts: ICCA Consortium | ICCA GSI | Lmma network | OC | CENESTA
Recording and livestream: to be confirmed
Tuesday 27 October, 15:15 Armenian time
at the CBD COP17 Green Zone: University Consortium Pavillion
Event: The Hidden Half of Nature: Why Karst Connectivity is Vital for the Global Biodiversity Framework
Hosts: IUCN/WCPA Caves and Karst Specialist Group / German Speleological Federation (Verband der deutschen Höhlen- und Karstforscher e.V) / UIS Cave and Karst Protection Commission / UIS Biology Commission / Yerevan State University – Faculty of Biology, Department of Zoology
With the support of: Michael Succow Foundation
Recording and livestream: to be confirmed
More information on this side event
Wednesday 28 October, 18:15 Armenian time
at Ijevan - GRULAC meeting room
Event: World Heritage as a Tool for Biodiversity Conservation – Contributions to KMGBF Implementation
Moderator and Presentation: Ana K. Celis "Hidden within: The role of subterranean ecosystems in World Heritage Sites"
Hosts: MSF | IUCN | UNEP-WCMC
Recording and livestream: to be confirmed
Donation
Our sincere thanks to the organizations whose support made our presence at UNEA-7 possible.
If you want to support our important work on geoecosystems, please get in touch.
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