GOA KASAH CAVE

Yesterday I returned from a day trip to the Goa Kasah caves, possibly the largest cave system in Kerinci. The journey took about 3 hours of walking along a traditional village path that cut through rice fields, a swamp forest, the village of Renah Kasah, and highland farms that lead into rainforest.

The cave itself was cool (as caves are wont to be), and inside we found a couple of species of bats, swiftlets, spiders, and cave crickets.

One spider we came across was perfectly white, and covered in what looked like frosted hairs.

No one, even the man who originally rediscovered the cave in the 70s, had ever seen anything like it. Upon closer inspection at home, and sharing with some knowledgeable people, the general consensus was that the spider was a species of Huntsman spider that had been infected with a type of pathogenic fungus, perhaps a variety of Cordyceps. The stuff of nightmares!

On the return, we rode back on some motorcycles (a very bumpy, uncomfortable ride!), shortening the travel time to an hour. Overall, it was a great way to spend a day in Kerinci.

To see more of my pictures from the trip, please check out my Facebook album here.