Caver Hopes to Protect His Discoveries
Published Date: 2007/8/17 0:10:00
Article ID : 2477
Version 1.00.06
Craig Wagnell, 46, has been caving in Port Alberni for almost 16
years and has found unique artifacts within many local caves.
Click
here to view photos of Wagnell’s cave discoveries. Click here to
view video of rare cave bug.
(Westcoaster.ca Staff Photo)
By Marcia Downham
A Port Alberni caver hopes to protect an area around Sproat Lake that is filled
with spectacular caves and ancient species.
Craig Wagnell, president of the Central Island Caving Club in Port Alberni, said
he discovered and surveyed the caves in that area two years ago and was amazed
by all the things he had found.
“It was absolutely mind-blowing finding all these unfound caves and untouched
treasures.”
Wagnell, who has been caving for 25 years, said he was taking pictures of
fossils in one of the underground caves when he came across a small unusual bug.
“I took some pictures of the bug, I posted them on the website and before I knew
it I was getting e-mails from people in cave clubs asking me where the cave was
that I had found the bug.”
Wagnell said as soon as people started to show an interest, he researched the
bug and realized he found a very rare species.
“I took seven samples of the bug, put them in alcohol and sent them away to cave
dwelling insect expert in the United States.”
The expert told him he had discovered a
Dipluran Campodeidae,
which is a small, almost transparent, ancient eyeless hexapod that is thought to
be older than the insects.
Wagnell said he has to keep the area’s location quiet because he is hoping to
prevent the cave from being damaged by people wandering in without prior
knowledge of the contents.
“I am currently waiting for the bug to be recognized by the Smithsonian
Institution and until that happens I cannot say where I found it because other
cavers will try to find it so they can take credit for its discovery.”
In the same cave, Wagnell found ammonite fossils, which are extinct marine
animals that thrived in the Paleozoic and Mesozoic Eras, some 65 to 400 million
years ago. They are related to squid, octopus and cuttlefish.
He also found an unnamed underground cave that runs just under 2 km long.
He said the cave, which is one of Canada’s longest caves, is called “Blak T”
after his friend Rick Black, who had died while exploring a cave.
“We were caving buddies and it was our lifelong mission to find an underground
cave over 1 km long that had never been found to call our own.”
While he was exploring another cave in the same vicinity he discovered a bear
jawbone imbedded in the ceiling.
He said the jawbone, which was dated to be around 67,000 years old, was removed
and is now showcased at the Qualicum Beach Museum.
Wagnell said all the items were found around the same area.
“Each thing was located within a 2 km radius of each other.”
He said the area is special and if it does not become properly protected it
could be ruined.
“Other cavers are already starting to find where it is, and if more and more
people find this area before it is protected they could possibly destroy many
important fossils and artifacts.”
Wagnell said he believes the area will be extremely popular if it becomes a
protected park with proper management.
For more cave and local trails information visit Quaggers web site at
http://www.islandhikes.com/
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