Incredible Discovery: Hidden Sinkhole Unveils a Never-Before-Seen Ecosystem

A team of cave explorers near Ping’e village in Leye County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, South China, discovered a massive sinkhole with an ancient forest at its base. The sinkhole is approximately 306 meters long, 150 meters wide, and 192 meters deep, with a volume exceeding 5 million cubic meters. This size qualifies it as a large sinkhole.

The sinkhole is localized in Leye Fengshan UNESCO Global Geopark.

The sinkhole was found in Leye Fengshan UNESCO Global Geopark, which is located in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Southwestern China. The Geopark is primarily sedimentary, with more than 60% of 3000m thick Devonian to Permian carbonate rocks. It’s known for being “the territory of caves and of the world’s longest natural bridge”.

There is a “Lost World” beneath it.

The sinkhole or the “Heavenly pit” was found to have a well-preserved primitive forest at the bottom, and three caves in its walls. Researchers studying the “lost world” say it may be home to undiscovered species. Zhang Yuanhai, a senior engineer at the Institute of Karst Geology of the China Geological Survey, said that the primitive forest could be home to previously unidentified plant and animal species.

It’s an extraordinary discovery, according to the researchers.

The discovery of the sinkhole and the ancient forest beneath it is remarkable for several reasons. Chen Lixin, who led the Guangxi 702 cave expedition team, noted, “There may be species in this cave that have not yet been documented or described by science.”

Chen Lixin, the expedition leader, suggests that the cave may host previously unknown species. This find offers significant potential for understanding the evolution of life on Earth and how ecosystems develop and change over time. It underscores the vast amount we still have to learn about our planet and its biodiversity.

As we continue to explore this hidden world within the Chinese sinkhole, it highlights the potential for more extraordinary discoveries around the globe. Stay tuned for our next exploration into anthropology, where we investigate the intriguing possibility of ‘Hobbits’ existing in the jungles of Indonesia.