Romania-Friendship Cave

Romania-Friendship Cave

Country:
Ukraine
Site number:
2396
Area:
0.1 ha
Designation date:
20-03-2019
Coordinates:
48°15'21"N 23°37'56"E
  • Friendship Cave
  • Friendship Cave
  • Friendship Cave
  • Friendship Cave
  • Friendship Cave

Materials presented on this website, particularly maps and territorial information, are as-is and as-available based on available data and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.


The Romania-Friendship Cave is a unique underground formation composed of a network of chambers and corridors that share a fluctuating water regime, originating from surface water inputs. It is the biggest cave formation in the Ukranian Carpathians, and it is a very important hibernation refuge for 14 different species of bats, 12 of which are listed as threatened in Ukraine’s Red List. The Site is also home to several endemic troglobite invertebrate species, some of which were first discovered in the cave. Because of its location and size, the Site acts as natural protection against floods as it accumulates a great quantity of water from precipitation and snow melting. This is a very valuable service, especially for villages located down in the valley. The Site is located within the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site "Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe" (2017). Because of its difficult accessibility, the Site does not suffer from high touristic pressure, but because of the proximity to villages, some littering occurs.

Administrative region: Zakarpatska Оblast

Global international designation:
  • UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
  • Other global designation
National legal designation:
  • Biosphere Reserve - Carpathian
Last publication date: 23-08-2019