Bermuda Cave Conservation Expedition
The Cambrian Foundation is actively involved in surveying and mapping underwater cave systems, documenting new cave species, and monitoring water quality in endangered subterranean systems from Florida, Mexico, and Bermuda. Certainly the most unique thing that the Cambrian Foundation does is to allow and encourage students of all ages to not only witness, but also actually participate in research expeditions. This helps them to understand the importance of protecting such delicate interconnected aquatic systems while at the same time actually experiencing what it is like to work within the broad field of environmental science.
To achieve this feat, the production team (the Cambrian Foundation and Interactive Expeditions) will utilize cutting-edge technologies like the underwater Human ROV (copyright Cambrian Foundation 2003) which includes aquatic drop cameras/monitors, full face masks, two-way submerged-to-surface communications gear, as well as a taking advantage of the latest in mobile satellite-enabled communication technologies to provide this unprecedented interactive broadcast experience. As the diving team sheds light upon the dynamic environment of an underwater cave and its delicate inhabitants, a dedicated interactive satellite feed will allow students worldwide to feel like they are underwater with the divers and ask questions while learning about the geology/ecology/biology-making them more like participants in the expedition than mere viewers.
At the heart of this research and conservation challenge, we face the fact that these caves are largely inaccessible to the wider public, and what is ‘out of sight’ is definitely ‘out of mind.’ Therefore, the broad exposure of our interactive broadcast (and archived supplemental film footage) at this global level via a “trip underground where most people can’t venture” will only serve to emphasize and strengthen conservation measures already in place.
Bermuda lies about 570 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and is home to the northernmost coral reef in the world. A little over 21 square miles in size, Bermuda is also one of the most densely populated areas on the planet with nearly 68,000 people inhabiting, and 400,000 thousand people visiting the island nation annually. Facing increased pressures from poor land use practices and pollution, these ecosystems-particularly the caves, seagrass beds, and coral reef communities-are becoming more susceptible to the problems associated with urbanization and population growth. Specifically, the high population density combined with cesspit/borehole methods of disposing wastewater, sewage, detergents, hydrocarbons, etc., have resulted in groundwater contamination and loss of habitat spanning the terrain from inland caves to offshore reefs. Because Bermuda is a limestone-capped seamount, many of these cave passages serve as conduits of flow for groundwater and runoff that travel between land and sea with the tides. Not only spectacular visually, as they are adorned with an abundant array of stalactites and stalagmites, these caves support over 25% of Bermuda’s rare endemic species. In many cases one species is confined to one cave system alone.
We welcome donations, sponsorships, and interested partners. You can make a secure online donation via the PayPal link on our website, or mail a check to the office at:
The Cambrian Foundation
1234 East Concord Street, Suite A
Orlando, FL 32803
Broadcast schedule and informational flier