Print 
Mail 
Large Medium SmallPlants bask in the sunlight while clear streams flow through this picturesque sinkhole in the mountains of Central China's Hubei province.
Due to the Karst landscape and humid climate in Xuanen county, the hole, which is more than 290 meters deep, has become home to various vegetation and wildlife, such as palms, vines and moss, and swallows and butterflies.
For decades, access was only possible by scaling a long rope, allowing the hole to develop an independent eco-system.
Although some residents have used the hole as a giant rubbish bin, the local authority said it is working to clear the sinkhole to create a protected nature reserve.
|
1. A palm tree sits on a ridge in the sinkhole in Xuanen county. Photos by Xinhua |
|
2. A basket filled with rubbish collected from the sinkhole is pulled to the surface. |
|
3. Workers put the cleared rubbish into bags ready for transportation. |
|
Fern, moss, vine and konjac can all be found throughout the sinkhole. |
(China Daily Africa Weekly 05/29/2015 page4)
Ten photos you don't wanna miss - May 28
Ancient shoe brand that 'fast-tracks promotion'
Play a melody while walking on musical cliff road
Top 9 smartphone-driven gadgets
Photographer captures Great Wall at night
Ten photos you don't wanna miss - May 27
Family photos for mountain-dwellers
A young part-time chauffeur on the road
Copyright 1995 - 2010 . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
License for publishing multimedia online 0108263 Registration Number: 20100000002731 
