Stunned by the flora and fauna inside the world's deepest sinkhole

Below this hole is a flora and fauna system that experts consider to be of "world" caliber.

Sinkholes are a natural phenomenon, and have different causes. Usually, the area where the landslide occurs often has a special geological structure, and a long-term movement process gradually empties the soil and rock below, but the landslide event occurs suddenly. The hole can be round or irregular in shape, with horizontal dimensions and depths ranging from a few meters to several hundred meters.

The deepest sinkhole in the world is Xiaozhai Tiankeng (Chongqing, China). (Photo: BBC).

They are dangerous to people and construction works, so they attract attention and are given many names. In English, in addition to the term "sinkhole", they are also called cenote, shakehole, swallet (underground stream), swallow hole (abyss), doline (valley, from Slavic origin).

But it is also from this special terrain that many sinkholes have become unique wonders in the world. Among them, Xiaozhai Tiankeng (Chongqing, China) with a depth of up to 662m is a typical example.

Not only is this sinkhole the deepest, it is also the largest in the world with a volume of up to 130 million ^m3 . Xiaozhai Tiankeng was discovered in 1994. Its name is a combination of "Xiaozhai" (a nearby abandoned village) and "Tiankeng" (roughly translated: sky hole).

 This sinkhole is the largest in the world with a volume of up to 130 million ^m3 .

The Xiaozhai Tiankeng sinkhole was created by an underground river flowing through the Dipheng Cave. Scientists believe it took 128,000 years to form. A limestone cave collapsed due to the impact of the underground river, creating the sinkhole. However, there is no official conclusion on how Xiaozhai Tiankeng formed.

There are two types of sinkholes in the world. The first type forms when rain and surface water slowly seeps into the ground. Over time, the upper part collapses, creating a hole. Xiaozhai Tiankeng falls into the second type, as it was affected by water from below, not above.

Currently, Xiaozhai Tiankeng is still quite low-key on the "Chinese tourist map". From above, you have to climb about 2,800 wet, zigzag steps to reach the mouth of the pit. Below the pit is a "spectacular ecosystem". This is home to many undiscovered species of animals and plants. Most notably, the appearance of the clouded leopard - a rare but also very ferocious animal.

Scientists have recorded up to 1,285 species of plants in this pit. According to Coral Island Adventures, the space under the pit is like a "separate world".