The Devetashka cave is a large karst cave located approximately 2 km from the village of Devetaki, near the village of Devetaki on the east bank of the river Osam, in Bulgaria.
The site has been continuously occupied by Paleo humans for tens of thousands of years and served as a shelter for various faunal species during extensive periods. It is now home to nearly 30,000 bats.
Rediscovered in 1921, excavations began only in the 1950s and revealed almost continuous human occupation since the late Paleolithic. The earliest traces of human presence date back to the Middle Paleolithic around 70,000 years ago. The site also contained one of the richest sources of Neolithic cultural artifacts (6,000 to 4,000 BC).
The cave is approximately 35 meters wide and 30 meters high at the entrance. It widens after around 40 meters, forming a spacious hall with an area of 2,400 square meters and a height that can reach up to 100 meters. Several large openings in the ceiling allow daylight to lighten the vast interior.
Devetashka cave provides a habitat for a wide diversity of faunal residents. During the breeding season of mammalian species in the cave from early June to the end of July, the site is entirely closed to visitors. Twelve species of protected amphibians and reptiles, including the Aesculapian snake (Zamenis longissimus), Triturus (Triturus cristatus), European tree frog (Hyla arborea), Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni), eighty-two bird species can be found in the area, thirteen of which are included in the Red List. Thirty-four species of mammals, four of which are included in the Red List and fifteen species of bats are found at Devetashka cave.
The Devetashka cave was shown in the action movie “The Expendables 2,” filmed in 2011.