The second deepest underwater sinkhole in the world was discovered off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
Photo of the cave from above and inside. Image Credit: Alcérreca-Huerta et al/Frontiers in Marine Science
This is slightly less than the record set by herselfdeep well-known underwater funnel in the world—Dragon Hole in the South China Sea, which was discovered in 2016. It is believed that its depth is more than 300 m.
Underwater funnels are large underwatervertical caves, which are found in coastal areas. Many of them contain a wide variety of plants and marine life, including corals, sea turtles and sharks. The one in Chetumal, called Taam Ja', which means “deep water” in the Mayan language, has steep slopes with a slope of almost 80 degrees, and the mouth of the cave is located at about 4.6 ;m below sea level.
3D map showing the second deepestfamous underwater cave in the world, which is located off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Image Credit: Alcérreca-Huerta et al/Frontiers in Marine Science
Scientists from El Colegiode la Frontera Sur, a government research center coordinated by Mexico's National Council of Science and Technology, first discovered it in 2021 . A study of the find was published in the journal Frontiers.
Blue Hole Taam Jaa’ just 24m less than the world's deepest known cave in the South China Sea. Image credit: Alcérreca-Huerta et al/Frontiers in Marine Science
In such caves there is little oxygen, and sunlightshines only on the surface. Despite these conditions, the giant voids are teeming with life that has adapted to the low O₂ environment.
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