Ecofirst, together with its partners CWEPSS and MaSePaS, is working for the Service Public de Wallonie to establish a methodology for assessing the conservation status of Natura 2000 habitat 8310, i.e. caves not open to the public.

In this context, several methodologies were tested for conducting inventories of cave fauna. DNA analyses (barcoding, metabarcoding and environmental DNA) were tested on different types of samples.  This article provides a general background to the issues at stake and the mission, then suggests a deciphering of the results of these DNA analyses, and finally highlights the first elements of long-term temperature monitoring in selected test caves.