A park visitor recently dropped a full bag of Cheetos in the middle of a cavern — something that could’ve had devastating effects on the entire ecosystem.
The processed food was dropped in the “Big Room” of New Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns, which is known to be the single largest cave chamber by volume in North America.
As the snack marinated in the damp environment, it formed the perfect environment to host microorganisms and fungi—life that does not belong in those caves. This seemingly small action can send shockwaves throughout the local ecosystem, and authorities were quick on their feet to take action.
