Month in Review: April 2012’s Must Read News

Photo by Jupiter Firelyte/flickr

The last day of April means that it’s time to review the top ten most popular news items on Caving News this past month.

This look back gives you a chance to see what other readers found interesting, and to allow you to catch anything you may have missed.

April was an exciting month with the reports trickling in about how the bats made out over the winter. In contrast with previous years, there was a positive note in that this year the bat populations in New York State are actually showing an increase.

Now, without further ado, here are the ten most popular articles that appeared on caving news in April 2012, ordered by the number of views.

April’s Top 10 News Items

1. Underground Tsunami Witnessed at Nevada’s Devil’s Hole
   At team visiting Nevada’s Devil’s Hole recently were lucky enough to witness an underground tsunami.
2. Cave Diver Dies at Florida’s Weeki Wachee Spring
   A cave diver died during a dive at the main spring in Florida’s Weeki Wachee State Park.
3. How Wrong a Swildon’s Short Round Trip Can Go
   About a year ago, a trip into Swildon’s Hole in the U.K.’s Mendip Hills took an unexpected turn.
4. Sign the Petition to Mandate Public Access to Caves
   In response to a recent petition to the White House by the Center for Biological Diversity which called for the closure all caves and mines on public lands, caver John Dunham has created an opposing petition.
5. Sinkhole Swallows Young Girl in China
   A young girl walking along a sidewalk ran into trouble when a deep sinkhole opened up beneath her feet.
6. Cave Photographer Urs Widmer Succumbs to Cancer
   Renowned cave photographer and publisher Urs Widmer died in Switzerland after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
7. Indiana’s Lost River Cave System Gets U.S. Federal Protection
   The Lost River cave system in southern Indiana’s Hoosier National Forest is one of 28 recent purchases by the U.S. Government that stretch from North Carolina to Oregon.
8. Researchers Discover Bacteria with Natural Antibiotic Resistance
   Researchers studying microbes that live deep inside New Mexico’s Lechuguilla Cave have discovered bacteria that are naturally resistant to antibiotics.
9. Reward Offered for Vandals of Utah’s Crystal Cave
   A reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the folks who broke into to Utah’s Crystal Cave.
10. 2012 International Expedition to Iranian Salt Domes
    An international gathering of international karst scientists and cavers is being held in Iran to study its salt domes.