Cueva del Llano, Villaverde

[gattaca66]

Having driven past the site many times, we finally took the turn-off to visit the caves, about three years ago. Greatly disappointed to find the caves themselves not only closed, but clearly closed-off fir some time. This despite the fact that they were still being advertised as a tourist attraction by the la Oliva Ayuntamiento at that time. I’m surprised to see in the article that they were closed in 1988, because I’m sure there were TA reviews since then? There IS a very good visitor centre, with lots of info on history etc, but making them safe for visitors would be a significant attraction!

[Captain Sensible]

I went on a guided tour of the cave around 2008 when it was open to the public.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

From RadioSintonia.com

The Ecological Transition Ministry of the Government of the Canary Islands has approved the second plan of recovery of the Opilión de la Cueva del Llano or Opilión cavernícola majorero (Maiorerus rando), an endemic species that is included in the category of 'endangered' in the Spanish Catalogue of Endangered Species, whose only known population is located in the volcanic tube Cueva del Llano, in the municipality of La Oliva, in Fuerteventura.
This second recovery plan aims to ensure the survival of this species, which develops its entire life cycle in the underground environment and is in a precarious state of conservation, paying special attention to amending the conditions that are limiting the supply of nutrients to the cavity.

The scope of this plan covers the entire known range of the species, and which is confined to the volcanic tube Cueva del Llano, the projection of it on the surface and a protection zone that covers 50 meters in all directions measured from the perimeter of the aforementioned volcanic tube.
This plan is developed with special attention to amending the conditions that are limiting the supply of nutrients to the cavity and as a continuation of another previous plan approved by Decree 38/2012 that was in force for five years.

The advisor of the regional department, José Antonio Valbuena, emphasized that "considering that this species is very susceptible to changes in environmental conditions, the recovery plan proposes actions aimed at improving the state of the cavity, particularly in sectors III and IV of the volcanic tube".

Among the actions aimed at improving the state of conservation of the Cueva del Llano is "modifying the enclosure of the Interpretation Center of the Cave of the Llano to allow the entry of water from runoff, as well as the channeling of surface waters from the channel of the ravine, and the regulation of uses in the critical areas delimited by the plan" , stressed the director.