In New Mexico we find a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located here. Over 400,000 visitors visit the caves and see the rock formations from ancient times. On a total area of 188 km², the Carlsbad Caverns National Park shows many facets and lots of bats. The park was founded on May 14, 1930. See a2zdirectory for tourist attractions in New Mexico.
The history of the Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Archaeologists found many wall drawings and cave paintings in the Carlsbad Caverns. The origin of these paintings and writings was dated back to the culture of the Indians. At that time the cave offered the Indians protection from wind and weather. As a result, they had to be one of the first groups of people in what is now the Carlsbad Caverns National Park. At the turn of the century around 1800 white settlers found the cave. This was not difficult either, because very large flocks of bats surrounded the cave. After all, the cowboy Jim White was the first who could not escape the fascination and spell of the cave. He decided to start an expedition to explore the Carlsbad Cavern.
At first his stories of huge underground spaces were not heard. It was only when he was able to prove what he was seeing with photos that he was believed.
In 1923 the Ministry of the Interior ordered an official inspection of the cave. Based on the results, Carlsbad Caverns was named a National Monument. The expeditions and explorations of the cave are still ongoing today. In 1966, the so far second largest room of the Carlsbad Caverns, the so-called Guadalupe room, was pushed forward. The Bifrost area and the Chocolate High were only discovered in 1982 and 1993, respectively.
The animals of the Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Particularly noteworthy in the Carlsbad Caverns National Park is the enormous population of bats. The animals have colonized the entire cave and feel so comfortable there that several huge swarms live permanently in the cave and its spaces. It is estimated that more than a million of these interesting and harmless animals live here. There are many myths about bats, but they are very peace-loving. However, the sight of the huge swarms can give you a somewhat queasy feeling. Bats feed on insects, which are usually found in abundance in the area of the cave. However, a prolonged drought reduced the population of insects and, unfortunately, also that of bats. But that doesn’t mean that the animals starved to death. When bats run out of food
The journey inside
Of course it is not a problem nowadays to visit the cave from the inside. There are numerous guided tours and tours that visitors can take into the cave. There is even a lift that transports the tour groups directly down to the visitor cave. Those interested can go on a journey through time and look at a 250 million-year history of its origins. The cave results from a 600 kilometer long reef that was embedded in an inland lake. The reef consisted of remains of sponges, algae and mussel shells and was shaped like a horseshoe. As the lake evaporated, deposits of salt and gypsum buried the reef. The reef rose again due to erosion a few million years ago. Water seeped into the cavities and so began a process of development in the air.
