A team of cave explorers has uncovered a hidden forest deep inside a massive sinkhole in southern China. More than 600 feet below the surface, a dense and towering ecosystem had been quietly evolving out of sight.
The sinkhole lies near Ping’e village in Leye County, an area already known for its unusual terrain. A Guangxi government news release notes that this formation is one of about 30 giant sinkholes recorded in the region, making it a major site for geological exploration.
These formations, known as tiankeng or “heavenly pits,” form when water gradually dissolves limestone underground. The U.S. Geological Survey explained that this process can create vast cavities that eventually collapse, opening up massive pits like the one explored here.
A Vast Underground Forest Revealed
The team descended into a sinkhole reaching 630 feet deep, where they found a forest stretching nearly three football fields in length. As detailed in the chinese press release, the vegetation is dense and largely untouched.
Chen Lixin, who led the expedition for the China Geological Survey, described thick undergrowth rising to shoulder height, giving the impression of a compact and thriving ecosystem.
“I wouldn’t be surprised to know that there are species found in these caves that have never been reported or described by science until now.”
Trees Found Nowhere Else
What stands out most are the ancient trees, some growing close to 130 feet tall. According to the same official source, these trees form a canopy that wouldn’t feel out of place in a surface forest, which makes their location all the more striking.
The Washigton Post pointed out that environments like this can act as natural shelters for plant life, allowing species to evolve differently from those outside. The isolation of the sinkhole may have helped preserve this forest over time, though much about it remains unknown.
How Extreme Can Karst Landscapes Get?
China’s landscape helps explain how such formations appear. NASA estimates that around 13% of the country is covered by karst terrain, with Guangxi often highlighted for its dramatic features. As reported by UNESCO:
“The property contains the most spectacular, scientifically significant and representative series of karst landforms and landscapes of South China from interior high plateau to lowland plains and constitutes the world’s premier example of humid tropical to subtropical karst: one of our planet’s great landscapes.”
George Veniof the National Cave and Karst Research Institute told Live Science that karst landscapes can vary significantly depending on location. In China, they tend to be large and visually striking, with massive sinkholes and cave openings, while in other parts of the world they can be smaller and far less visible.
“In China you have this incredibly visually spectacular karst with enormous sinkholes and giant cave entrances and so forth,” Veni stated. “In other parts of the world you walk out on the karst and you really don’t notice anything. Sinkholes might be quite subdued, only a meter or two in diameter. Cave entrances might be very small, so you have to squeeze your way into them.”
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