Aggitis Cave revealed as unique biodiversity hotspot in Greece

Scientific research conducted under the ‘Biodiversity in Archaeological Sites II’ (VIAS II) program has revealed a unique underground ecosystem within the Aggitis Cave in Drama, Greece. The cave, which contains what researchers describe as the country’s most significant underground river, hosts at least 24 different species, including three endemic species found nowhere else in the world.

The Aggitis Cave, also known as the Maara Cave, represents a rare intersection of archaeological, biological, and geological importance. The research is a collaborative effort involving the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the Natural Environment and Climate Change Organization, and the National Research Foundation.

Biologist and postdoctoral researcher Savvas Paragkiamian, part of the research team, characterized the site as a ‘phenomenon’ due to its unique status as an underground wetland where organisms have adapted to extreme dark conditions.