1. Before descending into the cave
1.1. Develop a detailed plan.
1.2. Pick up the corect equipment and check it before using in caving.
1.3. Each participant must have a helmet, suitable footwear, clothing, a working electric flashlight with a battery supply twice as large as usual. It is advisable to have a spare light source.
1.4. Enter the cave as a group, under the guidance of an experienced speleologist.
1.5. Clarify and comply with the time limit for return.
2. When moving in a cave
2.1. Not to violate a certain order of movement in the cave, so as not to get lost, not to fall into a hole; separation from the group without the permission of the leader, shouting, jumping, running, etc. is inadmissible.
2.2. Avoid hitting walls, rocks, slipping or falling into any recesses.
2.3. Pass slippery and technically difficult places with insurance.
2.4. Overcome narrow cracks and galleries calmly, calmly, adapting to all irregularities and freeing from things that hinder movement.
2.5. Each participant warns about the detected dangerous places on the way and, if possible, illuminates them with a flashlight.
3. After visiting the cave
3.1. All personal waste must be removed and disposed of in authorized waste disposal areas, leaving the cave and its adjacent areas clean.
The Moral Code of the Caver / Speleologist
Excerpt from the Code of Ethics (Adopted at the meeting of the Presidium of the Ukrainian Speleological Association on December 9, 1994)
Basic Principles
- A generally accepted code of ethics based on consensus is preferable to mandatory rules.
- Responsible actions that set an example for others are more effective than authoritative instructions.
- Speleologists discover and explore caves, making them known and accessible to the human world.
- They must be aware of the uniqueness and vulnerability of the cave environment and take responsibility for its preservation.
- The conscientiousness of every caver is the best protection for caves.
- Every speleologist is a source of potential damage to caves, both during exploration and visitation.
- Publishing the results of new discoveries in speleological publications is the duty of the cave explorer.
Behavior of a Speleologist
The awareness of each caver is the best protection for caves. A speleologist must show maximum attention to cave conservation and strictly follow these principles:
- Foster good relations with the local population in the areas you visit or explore; respect property and land rights, leave no litter behind, and avoid damaging crops or plantations.
- Leave minimum trace behind in the cave and do not remove anything that belongs to it. Carefully choose—and if necessary, mark—a limited path when moving through the cave. The preservation of a cave implies not only the safety of its beauties but the cave as a whole, including all types of deposits, debris, etc., which are part of its environment.
- Scientific sampling should be carried out professionally, selectively, and in minimal quantities. Treat the underground world as a vulnerable and sensitive biotope; be mindful of cave fauna, even the smallest. This implies that the climatic conditions of the cave or its parts should not be artificially altered.
- Collecting mineralogical, biological, and other cave finds for display purposes is unacceptable and cannot be justified. This encourages others to collect and contributes to the looting of caves.
- Clean the caves of trash left by unscrupulous predecessors.
- Stay within your physical limits; good self-control is the key to reasonable behavior; an exhausted caver will be unable to care for the cave’s preservation.
- Equipment use (bolts, anchors, and structures) must be cautious and kept to a minimum, though not at the expense of safety. “Light” expeditions that use minimal gear and avoid extensive bolting or underground camps are preferred.
- Construction and excavations (such as base camps, clearing blockages, large digs, or draining siphons) should only be done in exceptional cases and should be temporary whenever possible. The consequences of such work, especially regarding cave climate and visitor traffic, must be carefully evaluated.
- Avoid bringing large groups into caves. Information about specific caves should not be popularized in the mass media unless they are specially equipped for tours.
- Coordinate visits to caves or systems where research is ongoing or which are under the care of a caving club with the researchers or caretakers involved. This is due to safety considerations, the need to respect the work of researchers (discoverers’ rights), and to promote cave protection. However, this does not grant discoverers the right to “privatize” a cave or bar access to other cavers who respect established rules and ethical principles.
Think before you act! Otherwise, the consequences may be catastrophic and irreversible.