| Kapitel | Titel | Seite |
|---|---|---|
| Content | ||
| 1. | Introduction / Introduction | 9 |
| 2. | Geological settings / Situation géologique | 14 |
| 3. | Caves explored before 2007 in the Nyanga synclineGrottes explorées avant 2007 dans le syclinal de la Nyanga | 15 |
| 4. | Caves explored in 2007/2008Grottes explorées en 2007/2008 | 20 |
| 4.1 | General remarks / Remarques générales | 20 |
| 4.2 | Tchibanga area / Environs de Tchibanga | 22 |
| 4.2.1 | Mavoundi | 22 |
| 4.2.2 | Tchibanga town / Ville de Tchibanga | 28 |
| 4.2.3 | Koumougari | 29 |
| 4.2.4 | Moukalaba–Mourindi | 30 |
| 4.2.5 | Magalisseva | 31 |
| 4.2.6 | Gnoumbitisi (Nioumbitsi) | 32 |
| 4.2.7 | Nyanga River / Rivière de la Nyanga | 34 |
| 4.2.8 | Doussi–goussou River / Rivière de Doussi–goussou | 36 |
| 4.2.9 | Other sites / Autres sites | 37 |
| 4.3 | Ndendé–Lébamba area/Environs de Ndendé–Lébamba | 40 |
| 4.4 | Other regions / Autres régions | 59 |
| 5. | Recommendations / Recommandations | 61 |
| 6. | References / Références | 62 |
| 7. | Appendices / Annexes | 63 à 68 |
| Appendix 1 / Annex 1: | List of caves surveyed during the 2007 speleological project in Gabon / | Annex 1. Liste des grottes topographiques pendant l’expédition spéléologique 2007 au Gabon |
| Appendix 2 / Annex 1: | List of caves surveyed during the 2008 speleological project in Gabon / | Annex 2. Liste des grottes topographiques pendant l’expédition spéléologique 2008 au Gabon |
| Appendix 3 / Annex 3: | Photo tables / Index des photos |
During a French speleological project in 2007, about 930 m were explored in 14 caves of the Tchibanga area of southern Gabon. In 2008, also in southern Gabon, a US American/German expedition to the Lébamba–Ndendé area resulted in the exploration of 13 more caves with a total passage length of about 5.6 km, including the new longest cave of Gabon (Mbenaltembe Cave System at 2,380 m long). This volume presents the joint results of both speleological expeditions. All of the caves are exclusively developed in Precambrian limestones, dolomites and marls of the “Schisto–Calcaire–System” (West Congo System) of an age between 800 million to 2 billion years. Many caves in southern Gabon still await exploration and the potential for further discoveries is excellent. The local authorities proved to be very cooperative.