A study about human interference on the two caves of Udayagiri of Odisha state, India in the viral pandemic year (2020), in comparison with a normal year (2022)

Abstract

The subterranean karst system with its unexplored fauna and flora is an area of curiosity for researchers. The present study on the faunal diversity of the twin caves of Udayagiri, located in the capital of Odisha, is one of such less explored terrains. The seasonal variation of the vertebrates (including bats, geckos, frogs) and invertebrates (including ants and cave beetles) is compared with temporal changes in the two caves of Udayagiri, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India in the COVID 19 pandemic year of 2020 with the normal year of 2022. These caves are a tourist destination; the faunal distribution is disturbed by human activities. The comparative diversity of animals in such caves is of high implication to understand the bio-geological phenomena and its reflex to anthropogenic activities.