In the summer of 2023, a visitor at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in Southeastern New Mexico accidentally dropped a bag of Cheetos in The Big Room, a large cave chamber filled with natural formations like stalagmites and stalactites. Although littering is disappointing in a national park, park rangers looked into the event more closely. They noted that introducing food into an isolated area can greatly disrupt the ecosystem. The National Park Service shared on Facebook that the Cheetos, affected by the cave’s high humidity, became a breeding ground for microbial life and fungi. This smaller food web began to form, attracting cave crickets, mites, spiders, and flies, which spread nutrients throughout the cave.
Ashley Parsons, a park guide, mentioned to National Geographic that the cave’s 90 to 100 percent humidity caused the Cheetos to quickly get soggy. Fungi and mold began to grow in the area, leading other life forms, such as mites and cave spiders, to gather there. Joseph C. Ward from the National Park Service explained to KCRW that the area around where the bag was dropped saw an increase in life forms due to the food.
Once rangers found the bag, they held a meeting to decide how to proceed with the cleanup. They quickly collected the Cheetos and used a toothbrush to remove the mold and fungi that had developed around the area. The entire process took about 20 minutes.
The National Park Service turned the event into a teaching moment. They highlighted the significance of leaving natural places undisturbed on their Facebook page. They emphasized that every action, big or small, has an impact on the environment. They noted that while some effects are hard to avoid, dropping a full snack bag in the Big Room is completely preventable. They reminded everyone that even a seemingly small action can have a major effect on the cave’s ecosystem.
After the cleanup, life in the cavern returned to normal. The National Park Service wrapped up their post by stating that what seems unimportant from a human perspective can be significant for the ecosystem. They encouraged everyone to strive to leave the world better than they found it. What do you think about the impact of small actions on the environment?
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Source: Upworthy, by Tod Perry