Crayfish are often important members of cave food-webs, but little is known about their life histories. In general, obligate cave species have slower growth rates and longer life spans than their surface relatives. An extreme example of this relationship has been reported from the cave crayfish Orconectes australis australis. Reports of the life span and time-to-maturity range from 37 to 176 and 16 to 105 years, respectively. If true, such remarkably long life spans have significant implications for cave ecology and conservation. Here, we present preliminary results from an ongoing mark/recapture study of O. a. australis in northeastern Alabama. To date, ~1600 individuals have been marked in 3 cave systems. Using measurements of individuals recaptured more than one year after initial marking, a linear growth model estimating annual growth increment was developed. The model predicts that males and females reach sexual maturity after 2 and 8 years, respectively. Preliminary estimates also suggest that life span may be significantly lower than previous reports (i.e., <15-20 yrs) and thus within the range seen in surface-dwelling crayfish taxa inhabiting temperate streams. Our results indicate that slow growth and longevity may not be universal strategies in obligate cave species.