Physical and Environmental Characteristics based Classification of the Caves of the Andaman Islands

Abstract

The objective of the study was to classify the caves in the Andaman Islands, on the basis of their existence, rock layer type, cave size, cave openings (number, size, and shape) and the presence of light zones inside. All the 314 caves visited on 27 Islands were of limestone, dominated by Archipelago and Flysch group of rock layers. More than 60% caves are of small size, located in inland forests, below the ground, which lead to downward length from the opening. Around 86% caves had a single opening. We found the cave size varied with the rock layer type, vegetation type and a number of openings. Multiple regression models with different variables showed the type of rock layer as the most influencing factor deciding the cave size in the Islands. This exploratory work, as a baseline study, is a further addition to the knowledge on the scarcely studied hypogene caves in the Andaman Islands.