Results of Bulgarian-Albanian Speleological Researches in Albania (1991-2005) Alexey Zhalov Bulgarian Federation of Speleology, 75 V. Levski, Blv. 1042 Sofia, Bulgaria E-mail:
[email protected] Abstract The work presents summarized data, most of them unpublished, collected in the period (1991-2005), when 14 Bulgarian speleological expeditions were undertaken in Albania. The main explored territory covers an area of approx. 320 km2 and is located in Southern and Central part of the Albanian Alps. Some explorations have been carried out also in Mt. Dejes and Mt. Gollobordes and in South Albania in Mali I Thate Mt. and its surroundings. Two hundred and ten new caves were discovered and surveyed. The most important vertical caves are: BB-30 (- 610 m); Shpella Cilicokave (-505 m) and B33 (-205 m). 14 other caves are deeper than 100 m. The most important horizontal cave is Shpella e Majes te Arapit with total length 840 m. The largest cave chamber is in Shpella e Gjolave with an area of 8875 m 2 and volume 443 750 m3. The deepest and longest explored karst spring is Syni i Sheganit (160 m long, 52 m deep). The present article contains the main results of hydrogeological, lythological, speleo-climathological and bio- speleological studies. Key words: Albania, Bulgarian expeditions, speleology, karst, caves. 1. Brief survey of the studies of karst and speleology in Albania The first scientific researches of surface karst phenomena are made by the Albanian geographers Kristo, 1973, Gruda, 1981, 1985, 1990, Hoti, 1990 etc. The first archaeological and paleontological studies of Albanian Alps cave (Shpella Gajtanit) date back to 1923.