CrimeaPRESS reports:
The cave «Tavrida» was discovered by chance in 2018 during the construction of the federal highway of the same name in the Republic of Crimea.
Scientists from the Crimean Federal University were the first to penetrate the newly discovered object. As a result of joint research with specialists from other regions of the country, they found that the approximate age of the cave is five million years. About two million years ago, it was closed by clay-sand deposits. This made it possible to preserve the remains of ancient animals valuable for science. The fang of a saber-toothed cat, the teeth of a giant hyena and a fox, the bones of ancient elephants and rhinos, as well as a completely preserved hyena skull were found in the cave. Pachycrocuta brevirostris (Pachycrocuta brevirostis) is the first such find in Europe.
The entrance to the cave is located on the tenth kilometer of the Simferopol-Kerch highway within the road cut in the village of Zuya. To preserve the unique natural object, a special distribution plate was built. Under the road passes the largest hall of the cave — the hall named after Vernadsky.
Today «Tavrida» is one of the main research facilities, tourist attractions and symbols of the peninsula. It attracts scientists and guests from all over Russia.
On the basis of the cave, a scientific speleological-paleontological complex «Cave» Tavrida «was created. Its activities are aimed at continuing the study of the natural monument. At the moment, scientists have explored only two kilometers of the underground path, and suggest that its length is more than ten kilometers.
The official opening took place last year, on July 27, 2022. Since then, the cave has been visited by 66.5 thousand tourists. Of these: 47.5 thousand adults and 17.9 thousand children. It is important to note that the Tavrida cave is the only underground facility in Russia that is accessible to people with limited mobility.
The attraction is visited mainly by residents of the Crimea and Sevastopol. But guests from the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, the Rostov Region and other regions of Russia also come to look at the largest cave in the foothills of the Crimea.
How is Tavrida different from many other speleological and excursion sites? They focus on recreation and commercial profits, while we choose a scientific approach. Our main task is to popularize science. And we have prepared excursions, including for children, allowing us to demonstrate the scientific component. Research in the cave «Tavrida» will continue for at least another 10-15 years: both in paleontology, and in mineralogy, and in terms of discovering new sections of the underground object, — the press service of the university quotes the senior lecturer of the Department of Geography and Geomorphology of KFU. V. I. Vernadsky, President of the Union of Speleologists of Russia Gennady Samokhin.
In addition, the Taurida Cave is becoming the center of the educational and cultural life of the peninsula. The complex hosts forums, quests, exhibitions and master classes in various fields of fine and decorative arts. Among the events already held: the annual All-Russian geographical dictation of the Russian Geographical Society, the Youth Caving School of the Russian Geographical Society, the quest «Christmas Tree on the contrary», non-geography lesson, immersive theater.
Ticket price: 700 rubles for an adult and 500 rubles for a child from seven to 13 years old (free for children under seven years old). You can visit the cave daily from 09:00 to 16:00. The excursion route is 485 meters underground, which guests pass in 50-55 minutes.
All information about the cave «Tavrida» and the scientific speleological-paleontological complex is contained in the official community in «VKontakte»: https://vk.com/tavrida_cave.
source: KFU press service
News of the Crimea | CrimeaPRESS
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