Meghalaya, and for that matter the entire Northeastern region, has a brand-new reason to cheer in the beginning of the New Year. Neolissochilus pnar, the largest cave fish species discovered in Meghalaya, has been named India’s first ‘National Cave Animal of the Year.’ This must be considered a rare honour for the hill state and is definitely worth celebrating. As has been reported on the front page of the Saturday edition of this newspaper, this remarkable cave fish species was initially found in the caves of Krem Um Ladaw and Krem Chympe, which are located in the East Jaintia Hills district, during a series of expeditions conducted in 2019 and 2020. While the announcement declaring Neolissochilus pnar as India’s first National Cave Animal was made by the Speleological Association of India (SAI), the national branch of the International Union of Speleology (UIS), what is equally important to note is that the name of the fish has been kept in honour of the Pnar community, an important sub-tribe of the Khasis. This is also a befitting tribute to the Pnar community itself and, more particularly, to its age-old tradition of preserving this rare wildlife by not disturbing its natural habitat. Additionally, it also brings to the fore the profound cultural and ecological connection of the East Jaintia Hills in particular and of Meghalaya as a whole. As has been reported, this initiative, which is part of a newly launched campaign, intends to bring under the spotlight India’s unique subterranean biodiversity, which is particularly prominent in the Northeastern region. Though this system of designating or declaring a National Cave Animal is an annual programme, it is significant to note that by doing so, the International Union of Speleology seeks to emphasize the ecological significance of caves and promote their conservation across the globe. While it has been stated that this extraordinary cavefish highlights the hidden biodiversity within India’s caves, the initiative taken by the Speleological Association of India (SAI) under the aegis of the International Union of Speleology underscores the urgent need to protect the various cave-dwelling species by way of preserving these fragile ecosystems for future generations. Meghalaya is incidentally home to many caves, including some of the longest, deepest, and biggest caves in South Asia. The caves in Meghalaya were formed by the dissolution of limestone, a highly soluble mineral. Rainwater picks up carbon dioxide from the air, which forms carbonic acid that dissolves limestone over time. The various cave-dwelling species, including the particular cavefish, which has earned a unique recognition, are well-suited to life in complete darkness. Important to note, cave-adapted animals, which are known as troglobites, cannot survive outside the cave environment. Scientists have pointed out that the cave environment is unique, without light and very little energy source, because of which this group of animals has developed special adaptations for surviving in such an environment. Meghalaya has several rare cavefish species, as well as a few other species of fauna and flora that survive only inside caves. Thus, this recognition should also be considered as a clarion call to protect that environment and preserve these species, which are not just the property of Meghalaya or Northeast India but belong to the whole world.