Velebit caves
The Velebit mountains of Croatia have several deep caves with some of the world's largest subterranean vertical drops.
The "Lukina jama" cave is 1431 m deep (2013), the deepest cave in Croatia and 17th deepest cave in the world and the deepest cave in southeast Europe.<ref name="Radovinovič">Radovan Radovinovič, The Croatian Adriatic Tourist Guide, pg. 143, Zagreb (1999), Template:ISBN</ref> At its foot, there are ponds and streams including one of the largest known colonies of subterranean leeches (Erpobdella mestrovi), which has been ascertained to represent a new species, genus and also family.<ref name="Radovinovič"/> Other species discovered in the system, include the air-breathing land snails Zospeum tholussum.<ref name="Weigand">Template:Cite journal</ref> Like Lukina jama, Slovačka jama, Velebita and Meduza are also located at the "Hajdučki i Rožanski kukovi" special reserve, a dedicated part of the Sjeverni Velebit national park.
Other notable caves include the "Slovačka jama" (Slovak pit), (1,320 m deep), "Velebita" (1026 m deep with underground free fall vertical drop of 513 metres ) and "Meduza" (679 m deep).
The vertical shaft "Patkov Gušt", named after a deceased Croatian speleologist<ref> {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> is 553 meters deep and the second deepest pitch in the world Template:As of.
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