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Karst system research has only started recently in southern Africa and for this reason there is relatively little known about the unique ecology characterising these systems. The karst system in Gauteng may suffer irreparable damage due to the negative impact of urbanisation, pollution and tourism if certain trends are allowed to continue. Elements of these negative anthropogenic impacts are already evident in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site (COHWHS) which is renowned for its dolomitic deposits and caves. The caves in the COHWHS are inhabited by bats, fungi and several arthropod groups of which only the amphipods, which occur in the groundwater, have been studied to some degree. If this important resource is damaged to such a degree that its ability to sustain life will be compromised it is likely that many species will disappear before they have been studied and documented. The urgency of this matter is illustrated by the development of the Cradle of Humankind Heritage Site as one of the major tourist attractions in Gauteng. There is also a growing threat of urbanisation along the periphery of the COHWHS, which will have a negative impact on the foraging ranges of bats and the quality of groundwater. Farming will continue to be a threat to the karst ecology of the region especially with regard to the abstraction of water and the use of agrochemicals which impact on the availability and quality of groundwater. A study of the karst ecology of the Cradle of Humankind is imperative for the implementation of an integrated management plan to conserve the karst system and associated ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]