Japygid Cave is one of the lesser known secluded caves of Austin, Texas. Only so much information can be found out about Japygid Cave. This news article will explain what Japygid Cave is. Japygid Cave has several karst features relating to nature, wildlife, biology, and geology.
Japygid Cave is known for having a beautiful and rugged terrain due to the fact that this particular cave located within Jollyville Plateau range which is part of the rugged and beautiful terrain of Western Travis County.Much of the terrain inside Japygid Cave is known to be very rigid and rocky. There are known to be many limestone fissures which can be found inside Japygid Cave.
Japygid Cave is hydrogeologically connected from subsurface infiltration since the rock beds tilt to the northeast and the development is up-contour from the floor of the cave. (Ref: https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/Documents/R2ES/HCP_TPGFourPoints_19951113.pdf)
Japygid Cave contains numerous karst features as this cave is on property located within the Jollyville Plateau KFR and Jollyville Plateau. Tooth Cave ground beetles have been confirmed to inhabit Japygid Cave. The Tooth Cave ground beetle is one of the prominent karst features of Japygid Cave. Japygid Cave may also contain other listed species of insects. Japygid Cave is considered to contain potential habitat for endangered cave invertebrates. (Ref: https://digital.lib.usf.edu/SFS0054742/00001)
Japygid Cave contains the endangered Texella reyesi. The endangered Texella reyesi has been known to inhabit this cave. Tooth Cave ground beetles and Bone Cave harvestman have been confirmed to inhabit Eluvial Japygid Cave. It is confirmed that Tooth Cave ground beetles and/or Bone Cave harvestman are within the 52-acre preserve of the Four Points HCP. There have been times when Japygid Cave has been carpeted with fire ants. (Ref: The Caves of the Balcones Conservation Plan, 1996)
“[t]his area contains a total of five caves (Owl Eyes, Japygid, Eluvial, Fernpit,
M.W.A. and Jollyville) known to be inhabited by Tooth Cave ground beetle
(four caves) and/or Bone Cave harvestman (three caves).”
Based on review of maps in the Four Points HCP from The Balcones Canyonlands Preserve karst management 2003 annual report, it appears that four caves (Disbelievers, Japygid, Jollyville Plateau, and MWA caves) confirmed to support Tooth Cave ground beetles are within the 52-acre preserve. The Balcones Canyonlands Preserve karst management 2003 annual report lists these four caves as within a common preserve. (Ref: The Balcones Canyonlands Preserve karst management 2003 annual report)
A species of ant called Texamaurops reddelli has been confirmed to exist in Japygid Cave. Texamaurops reddelli is listed as an endangered species on the Federally Listed Endangered Species. (Ref: https://bugguide.net/node/view/443895)
Japygid Cave was owned by a man named R. Ribelin and was part of his ranch which was Ribelin Ranch. Lucia R. Francis and R. Ribelin transferred ownership of Contortionist Cave to Ribelin Ranch in 1985 on a warranty deeed. R. Ribelin had established Ribelin Ranch as a limited partnership called Ribelin Ranch Partnership LTD earlier in 1984. (Ref: Travis County Land Deeds, Volume 9326, Page 1)
Four Points HCP and WB Joint Venture purchased 28.8 acres of land out of a 333 acres sized property in 1994. Part of this land was the Ribelin Ranch which included Japygid Cave. Four Points HCP was organized in 1994 because of the high density of caves in the Four Points area known as Four Points cave cluster. Four Points cave cluster is a high density cave area. This high density cave area was preserved as part of the Four Points Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). This HCP was created in support of issuance of an Endangered Species Act Section 10(a)(1)(B) incidental take permit for permit number PRT 808694. This was done to protect Japygid Cave along with 7 other caves around the area and property. (Ref: https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/Documents/R2ES/LitCited/4TX_Sal/HNTB_2005_Tooth_Cave_ground_beetle_summary.pdf)
Balcones Canyon Creek Preserve (Four Points HCP) and WB Joint Ventures purchased land where Japygid Cave Cave was located on and added that cave to their HCP program in 1995. Japygid Cave was then added to an approximately 52-acre portion of BCCP land that would be undeveloped and conserved as habitat for Tooth Cave ground beetles. A few assessments were made by USFWS as needed. (Ref: https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/Documents/R2ES/LitCited/4TX_Sal/HNTB_2005_Tooth_Cave_ground_beetle_summary.pdf)
[WB Joint Ventures plans to construct and operate 138 acres of mixed use and residential development on 333 acres in Austin, Travis County,Texas. This action will eliminate the habitat for 13 pairs of golden-cheeked warblers. The applicant proposed to compensate for this incidental take of golden-cheeked warbler habitat by preserving 135 acres of golden-cheeked warbler habitat and the preservation and maintenance of 52 acres with 5 caves containing the Tooth Cave ground beetle and the Bone Cave harvestman for the conservation of the golden-cheeked warbler and the cave invertebrates. Alternatives to this action were rejected because selling or not developing the subject property with federally listed species present was not economically feasible.]
(Ref: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1995-12-08/pdf/95-29943.pdf)
The Four Points HCP was created in support of permit issuance for the preservation of a 52-acre “high density cave area” containing 6 caves or prominent karst features including 4 of the Tooth Cave ground beetle confirmed collection sites. This included Japygid Cave. (Ref: https://digital.lib.usf.edu/SFS0054742/00001)
In 1996, the USFWS issued an ESA Section 10(a)(1)(B) incidental take permit (permit number PRT 808694) to WB Joint Venture in part to cover the potential incidental take of Tooth Cave ground beetles associated with development within an approximately 333 acres property in north-central Travis County, Texas. This HCP was created in support of permit issuance which called for the preservation of a 52-acre “high density cave area” containing 6 caves or prominent karst features including four of the Tooth Cave ground beetle confirmed collection sites including Japygid Cave. (Ref: https://digital.lib.usf.edu/content/SF/S0/05/47/42/00001/K26-04293-KIP-00011532.pdf)
On April 16, 1999, Federal Register announced and advised the public that GDF Realty Investments, Ltd. (applicant), in conjunction with Mr. R. James George, Jr., Purcell Investments L.P., Parke Properties I, L.P., WB Joint Ventures, and Parke Properties II, L.P. planned to construct and operate commercial and/or residential developments on 216.4 acres of habitat in the area known as the Hart Triangle. (Ref: Federal Register, Volume 64, Number 73)
Each entity of Austin, Texas, had applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for seven incidental take permits pursuant to Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The applications have been assigned application file numbers PRT-838754, PRT-841088, PRT-841090, PRT-841093, PRT-841117, PRT-841120 and PRT-841125. The requested, permits, if issued, would each be for a period of 30 years, and would authorize the incidental take of the endangered golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia), black-capped vireo (Vireo atriocapillus), Tooth Cave pseudoscorpion (Microcreagris texana), Tooth Cave spider (Leptoneta myopica), Tooth Cave ground beetle (Rhadine persephone), Kretschmarr Cave mold beetle (Texamaurops reddelli), Bee Cave Creek harvestman (Texella reddelli), and Bone Cave harvestman (Texella reyesi). The applicant plans to construct and operate commercial and/or residential developments on 216.4 acres of habitat in the area known as the Hart Triangle and used by the golden-cheeked warbler, black-capped vireo, Tooth Cave pseudoscorpion, Tooth Cave spider, Tooth Cave ground beetle, Kretschmarr Cave mold beetle, Bee Cave Creek harvestman, and/or Bone Cave harvestman.
(Ref: https://www.fws.gov/policy/library/1999/99fr18927.html)
Ownership of Japygid Cave property was transferred from WB Joint Ventures and Parke Properties to TPG Four Points Land, L.P in 1999. Today Japygid Cave is privately owned and is owned by TPG Four Points Land, L.P currently. TPG Four Points Land, L.P. still remains as the current owner of Japygid Cave. (Ref: https://americanstewards.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Petition-to-Delist-Texella-reyesi-1.pdf)
Japygid Cave is located at 7501 River Place Boulevard, Austin, Texas, US 78726.
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