the lost underground river world in paradise _ mysterious universe

8/9/2019 The Lost Underground River World in Paradise _ Mysterious Universe

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4/2/2015 The Lost Underground River World in Paradise | Mysterious Universe

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The Lost Underground River World in

Paradise

As much as we have explored our planet and cataloged the myriad forms of life that

inhabit it, there are still mysteries that have managed to remain largely hidden from the

gazeof mankind. From lost forest worlds to underground lakes in Antarctica, to deep

sea abysses, our planet manages to continually surprise and tantalize us with its

seemingly endless enigmas and new, awe inspiring realms we have only just begun to

understand. One such place lies on, or rather under, Palawan Is land in the Philippines,

one of the most pristine tropical islands in the world. Here beneath the sunbathing

tourists, majestic mountains, and white sand beaches of this island paradise meanders

one of the wonders of the natural world; one of the longest and most mysterious

underground river systems in the world.

Palawan Island, Philippines

Palawan Island is about as close to a postcard picture perfect island paradise as youre

likely to find. The largest island of Palawan Province and the fifth largest in the

Philippines, Palawan Is land has nevertheless remained one of the least developed and

sparsely inhabited. Verdant jungle mountains, pristine, ancient virgin wilderness

brimming with wildlife, and unspoiled white sand beaches are par for the course here.

2 Comments January 29, 2015 Brent Swancer

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Natural World

News

VideoThe island boasts one of the most stunning arrays of biodiversity to be found in the

Philipines and indeed the world, and it has often ended up on lists of the best is land

getaways for years. Palawan also has the distinction of being ranked as a Biosphere

Reserve and holds one of the most intriguing UNESCO World Heritage Sites there is; the

stunningly surreal and beautiful underground river and cave system of the Cabayugan

River.

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

Within the Saint Paul Mountain range lies Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National

Park, which is located north-west of Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan Province.

The park is dominated by a striking landscape comprised of around 90% karst limestone

ridges, peaks, cliffs, pinnacles, and shafts that meander along the west coast of

Palawan Island. Much of the park is heavily forested with various species of hardwood

trees, and the coastal area is lush with mangrove forests and colorful coral reefs. Even

the steep l imestone formations hold vegetation that hangs precariously from ledges

and cliffs. Beneath this rugged terrain of forest and jagged limestone sprawls a vast

underground cave system that is 24km (15 miles) long. It is through this cave systemthat the Cabayugan River passes; beginning around 2km south-west of Mount Saint

Paul and flowing for around 8.2 km (around 5 miles) underground through spacious

subterranean chambers and caves to end its journey at an outlet into St. Pauls Bay in

the South China Sea.

The underground Cabayugan river long remained hidden from the Western world and

was once held a mythical status, the only evidence of it being the stories and rumors of

the native people of the island. In 1898, the American Zoologist Dean C. Worcester

spent a good deal of time studying the fauna of Palawan and made mention of the

mysterious river, saying, If accounts are to be believed, of a lake opening to the sea by

a subterranean river.

The underground river of Palawan
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Considering that the entrance to the system is a small opening in a cliff half submerged

by a lagoon surrounded by thick trees and subject to the rising and falling tides, it is

perhaps no wonder the Cabayugan River remained hidden from the modern world for so

long. Of course, it did turn out there was just such a river, and a truly unique and

breathtaking one at that. The longest navigable completely underground river in the

world, the entire 5 mile length of the river system winds through dramatic subterranean

realms of soaring stalactites and stalagmites, vast cave chambers measuring up to 60

meters high, and dark tunnels leading off into the unseen murk beyond. Many of the

stalactites and stalagmites here shimmer with glimmering water crystals formed by

eons of precipitation and erosion, sometimes giving the impression of being a forest of

crystalized trees. Along the way, the river branches off into smaller tributaries that

snake off into the darkness.

The entrance to the subterranean Cabayugan River system

This underground cave and river system and its surrounding environs are home to a

variety of organisms, many of which are considered to be endangered species and

some of which are rather unique. Within the caves and chambers one can find large

numbers of cave swiftlets; unique birds which navigate the darkness using sonar like

bats and use their unique glue-like saliva to stick to walls and fashion nests. There are

also millions of flitting hordes of bats representing 8 different species, as well as

numerous species of cave crickets and other invertebrates, and reptiles such as lizards

and snakes. Within the rivers waters one can find a variety of species of fish, shrimps,

and other crustaceans.

The extent and diversity of the fauna of the underground cave and river system of

Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park is still little understood. The mostly

unexplored caves s prawl for miles, with countless chambers, offshoots, caverns, and

tunnels, and the river has many smaller s treams branching out into the darkness. It is

almost a certainty that new species lurk somewhere within, some perhaps beyond our

wildest imaginings. Locals tell tales of all manner of mysterious cave denizens, such as

giant lizards, strange dwarf-like humanoid beings, and various aquatic beasts such as

mermaids and sea serpents prowling the rivers waters. Is there any grain of truth to

these accounts? What might we find in this lost land deep under the earth?
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Already there have been strange findings within the subterranean river system, with the

discovery of a fossilized Sirenia, a type of prehistoric sea cow which lived around 20

million years ago in the Miocene Age, embedded in the cave walls. The finding is quite

unusual for several reasons. Although dugongs, which are similar to what aSirenia

would have been like, are occasionally known in the coastal areas where the river exits

to the sea, they are not known to travel at all into the underground river itself. How did

this Sireniawind up here? In addition, the finding is doubly strange becauseSirenia

were only thought to have been found in Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa, making

one on Palawan Island in the Philippines quite out of place indeed.

In recent years as more people have become aware of the existence of this magical

place, tours of the underground cave and river system of Puerto-Princesa Subterranean

River National Park have become more popular, and it is even possible to get a look at

the fossil, although it is difficult to go there and a special permit is required. Once

underground on the river, the amount of access granted to the public is limited, but it is

still possible to get a feeling for the haunting grandeur of this unique, surreal domain of

soaring cave chambers and crystal rock formations.

Tour in the Puerto Princesa Subterranean National Park

With its sun soaked beaches and gorgeous scenery, Palawan Island is a tropical

paradise for tourists from all over the world, yet it is what lies underground that makes

this place truly a treasure. As people hike the trails and enjoy themselves above

ground, below ground the Cabayugan River flows hidden from sight as it has for

millions of years and will for millions more.

TAGS: biology, Cryptozoology , lost world, natural world, strange places
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the lost underground river world in paradise _ mysterious universe

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