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From poisoned ancient trees to demolished rock formations and vanishing waterfalls, humanity's destructive tendencies know no bounds. Join us as we count down the moments where breathtaking marvels of nature were wrecked by human ignorance. Whether through deliberate vandalism, carelessness, or misguided policies, these natural treasures paid the ultimate price.
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00:00A massive fire in Orange County has scorched more than 4,000 acres.
00:04Tonight, it's 0% contained.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks
00:09for the moments where breathtaking marvels of nature were wrecked by human ignorance.
00:13This six-second video clip proof that the popular rock formation called the Duckbill,
00:18pictured in hundreds of posts, did not topple naturally.
00:22Number 50, Tumor's Corner Trees, United States.
00:26The long-standing feud between Auburn University and the University of Alabama
00:29has created several traditions.
00:32One of the most beloved is the former's fans covering the branches on Tumor's Corner
00:36with toilet paper after a win.
00:37The decades-old oaks were vandalized often, but in 2010, Harvey Updike took things too far.
00:44After Alabama lost the Iron Bowl, he retaliated by poisoning Auburn's famed trees with herbicide.
00:50He was charged with criminal mischief in the first degree.
00:52He was arrested afterwards, but their fate was sealed.
00:55They couldn't be cured and were removed and replaced in 2013.
00:58The new crop wasn't safe either, with a heated Louisiana state fan setting them ablaze after a loss in 2016.
01:08New trees were planted in 2017, leaving fans on both the school and nature, hoping they'll remain unharmed.
01:14Some students decided to visit the tree and leave these cards and flowers, hoping the tree will be okay.
01:20Number 49, American Chestnut Trees, United States
01:24For centuries, they reigned as one of the largest and most prosperous species in the United States.
01:29It wasn't until long after colonists had settled in that things turned sour for the American chestnut.
01:34In 1876, S.B. Parsons brought Japanese chestnuts over, triggering a wider trend.
01:40A decade later, over a thousand were imported for commercial use.
01:43With them came a deadly fungal infection, known as chestnut blight, which swept across the native population of trees.
01:51It completely strangles the tree by eating the tissue.
01:54The airborne disease permeated the bark, causing discoloration and death.
01:58By the mid-20th century, over 3 billion has succumbed.
02:02Within 50 years, nearly all American chestnuts died.
02:05Its cyclical nature impacted new growth as well, leaving the species functionally extinct.
02:11In just one poor, uniform choice, an icon was effectively struck down.
02:16No one alive remembers the forest that was.
02:20Some of its parts remain, but the ecosystem is gone.
02:25Number 48, Celilo Falls, United States
02:28For Native Americans and colonists alike, it served as one of the most fruitful fishing spots in the northwest.
02:33Yet, not even that was enough to save the Columbia River's impressively vast Celilo Falls.
02:40And I would smell the salmon, you know, and watch them coming up over the falls.
02:46Rather than continue to use its natural resources,
02:49settlers at the time decided that it would be better used as the future site for the Dallas Dam.
02:54After being completed in 1957, it reportedly only took hours for the area to be completely swallowed by an artificial lake.
03:01In 1957, the U.S. government built the Dallas Dam, backed up the Columbia River, and buried Celilo Falls.
03:09In just one day, thousands of years' worth of erosion and ancient indigenous history were permanently submerged.
03:15A 2008 sonar survey found that the original structure is still intact beneath its replacement,
03:21now serving as a sad reminder of what once was.
03:24No one believes Celilo will return in our lifetime.
03:28Number 47, Tulare Lake, United States
03:31Even when human intervention goes too far, nature sometimes has a way of bouncing back.
03:36For thousands of years, Tulare Lake was the largest fresh body of water west of the Mississippi.
03:41It spanned 60 miles, up until settlers arrived in the area in the 19th century.
03:46If the lake was here today, Kettleman City and Lemoore would be lakefront communities, the town of that.
03:51They added several dams, closing off access from nearby rivers, and diverting any other flow for agricultural purposes.
03:58By the end of the century, it receded into a dry lake bed.
04:01A lake no longer reached the lake, so the lake really was dried up by irrigated agriculture.
04:08However, there are moments where it seemingly resists its fate.
04:11Every couple of decades or so, the area sees a period of precipitation so intense
04:16that the lake resurges to its former glory, and temporarily takes over the man-made roads built in the aftermath of its draining.
04:23Joe Neves, supervisor of District 1, including Stratford and Lemoore, says the lake is still rising nearly 3 inches per week.
04:30Number 46, Chengai Tree, Singapore
04:32World War II was full of loss, human and otherwise.
04:36Singapore was forced to give up one of its most famous wonders, the Chengai Tree.
04:40Reaching 249 feet tall, it was known for its immense size.
04:45According to legend, its toppling would cause the fall of Singapore itself.
04:49In 1942, soldiers from Japan invaded.
04:52The British colonists, occupying the island at the time, realised their opposition could use it as a scouting point.
04:58Their solution? To chop it down.
05:00Their decision prevented its militarisation, but in the process, they robbed the country of an environmental marvel.
05:06On the same day, Changi itself was abandoned.
05:11Even more harrowing is the fact that Singapore fell as a result of the attack, tragically fulfilling the fable's prediction.
05:17Percival concluded that there was no alternative.
05:20He surrendered Singapore to Yamashita during the evening of the 15th of February.
05:25Number 45, Discovery Tree, United States
05:29Some early American settlers came across Sierra Nevada's giant sequoias and saw untold natural beauty.
05:35Others saw dollar signs.
05:37A local named Captain Hanford was the latter, with plans of felling and exhibiting the nearly 300-foot-tall Discovery Tree.
05:44In 1853, it was cut down, debarked, and rebuilt into a hollowed-out version of its former self.
05:51Taurus could then sit in the shell of the 1,244-year-old legend.
05:56Its stump was also exploited and used for bowling, dancing, and more.
06:00The attractions were met with backlash, creating an environmentalist movement that led to other groves becoming federally protected land.
06:07The reformed trunk perished in a fire, but its stump still remains, and serves as a reminder of when our predecessors prioritize profit over nature.
06:17Number 44, Devil's Chair, United States
06:20Some acts of vandalism are so bizarre that you can't help but question why they were committed in the first place.
06:26That can be said for the fate of the Devil's Chair in Taylor Falls, Minnesota.
06:30The 10,000-year-old rock formation was beloved by sightseers and climbers alike.
06:34It was suddenly toppled in 2005, devastating the local community.
06:38While natural causes were considered, another thought loomed in the minds of authorities that it was done intentionally.
06:44They presumed that a hydraulic jack was used to push over the 10-foot-tall stone into the St. Croix River below.
06:51Though no suspects were found, the discovery of paint chips at the site seemingly confirmed it was an act of man rather than Mother Nature.
06:59Number 43, Glacier Point, United States
07:02For decades, locals and tourists alike gathered every night to watch a stream of embers cascade from the mountaintops to the ground below.
07:09People traveled from all over the nation to view these human-made firefalls.
07:13And someone would be up on the top with a big shovel and they'd shovel over the embers.
07:18Their love of the event blinded them to the fact that they were mistreating the land.
07:22Many littered, trampled through meadows and drove off path to get better spots.
07:27The immerse amount of cars also created long lines afterwards, expelling untold amounts of exhaust gas into the air each night.
07:34It was clear that the natural beauty of the mountain and park were being sacrificed for a man-made one.
07:39In 1968, the National Park Service stepped in and finally ended the tradition with the goal of the area restoring itself.
07:47All of those things added up to the superintendent of that time saying that that was an activity that was no longer in concert with national park philosophy.
07:56Number 42, Saguaro Cacti, United States
08:00They may be the state's flower and an iconic symbol of the American West, but that doesn't mean everyone in Arizona respects them.
08:06In 2020, Tuxin natives were shocked with the news that vandals had taken to Saguaro National Park and attacked several cacti.
08:14Officials think they were chopped down earlier this month.
08:17Over half a dozen had been irreparably cut or chopped down on the protected land in a seemingly random act of vandalism.
08:23Given how slowly they grow, some could have been close to a century old before having their lives suddenly cut short.
08:30And what's really unfortunate about it is that some of the cactus were upwards of 10 feet tall, which easily makes them about 100 years old.
08:38No suspects have been found yet, leaving the community wondering who would do such a thing and why.
08:44And guys, punishment for this could be steep fines or even jail time.
08:48Number 41, Maya Bay, Thailand
08:50From the moment the island of Kofifi-Lei was chosen as the location for the beach, it was exploited.
08:57During production, the area was bulldozed and native plants were removed to make it and Maya Bay appear more idyllic.
09:04After the movie premiered, it became a tourist hotspot overnight.
09:07Constant boat travel polluted the waters and destroyed nearly all of the local coral.
09:12Marine animals disappeared and the thousands of visitors trampled the island's greenery daily.
09:16The government stepped in and closed it in 2018 so that it could recover.
09:20Until recently, three and a half thousand people visited the beach every day.
09:26In those crowds, it felt a lot less like heaven.
09:29So the authorities shut it down.
09:32Over the next few years, coral regrew and species returned.
09:35When it was finally reopened in 2022, new rules were put in place to ensure the strides made wouldn't immediately be undone.
09:42It could have been in place to live, but it could have been in place to live, and it could have been in place to live.
09:50Number 40, Great Smoky Mountains, United States
09:53All it takes is one spark to ignite an unstoppable flame.
09:57The citizens of Gatlinburg, Tennessee learned this when a wildfire suddenly broke out on chimney tops in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2016.
10:06Few efforts were made to stop it, and by the fifth day, it had spread past the containment area.
10:12Investigators now say it appears the flames were first sparked inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
10:17Over 10,000 acres of park were consumed, and the local towns didn't fare much better.
10:22When the smoke cleared, 14 people had perished, and chimney tops peaks had visible burn marks.
10:27Afterwards, two teenagers were arrested following accusations that they had started the blaze by tossing lit matches onto the ground.
10:34Two juveniles were taken into custody by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
10:40The charges were eventually dropped and the case sealed, leaving some residents feeling as though justice had been obstructed.
10:46Meanwhile, the fires continue to burn, and officials estimate it could be two weeks before it's contained.
10:51Number 39, Wawona Tree, United States
10:54The Discovery Tree was not the only sequoia that had fallen victim to human whims.
10:59One of the most famous was the Wawona Tree, which had a tunnel carved into its base in 1881.
11:05Afterwards, tourists were able to walk and eventually drive through it while visiting Mariposa Grove.
11:10Prior to the work, it had been slightly leaning.
11:13The tunneling process exacerbated the lean and weakened the base, leaving it vulnerable to the elements.
11:17During a severe winter storm in 1969, the 2,300-year-old sequoia fell.
11:22Had it been left untouched a century prior, it would have survived.
11:26To add insult to injury, the fallen tree was then converted into an attraction site as well,
11:30continuing the cycle that had led to its demise in the first place.
11:34Number 38, Ming, Norway
11:36The methods for determining an organism's age can sometimes lead to its detriment.
11:40That was how Ming, an ancient ocean quahog, met its fate in 2006.
11:46After being discovered near Iceland, it was frozen and brought back with them, where they began the dating process.
11:51By that point, it had already perished.
11:54They counted the rings on its exterior and then removed its shell so that they could check the interior.
11:59Only after learning it was 507 years old and the oldest known creature on Earth,
12:03did they realize they hadn't just slain it, they'd completely destroyed it.
12:07The researchers were harshly criticized by the public.
12:10Though it was an accident, there's no telling how long Ming could have continued to live had they gone about things differently.
12:16Number 37, Scala de Turquie, Italy
12:19It took millions of years to form and just one day to vandalize.
12:23For generations, Scala de Turquie had amazed citizens and tourists alike with its striking pure white coloring and historical significance.
12:31In 2020, the Italian government stepped in and closed the site in order to prevent people from mistreating it.
12:37That unfortunately didn't stop vandals from tossing bright red powder onto it in 2022, marring its pristine look in the process.
12:44Though it was scrubbed away days later, the act showed an immense amount of disrespect towards the natural marvel.
12:48Two suspects, Domenico Cuaranta and Francesco Garaci, were identified, arrested and tried, before each being sentenced to a few months behind bars.
12:58Number 36, Glen Canyon, United States
13:01Some natural wonders are granted governmental protection before they can be destroyed, and others unfortunately slip through the cracks.
13:08The latter occurred to Glen Canyon, which was set to be the site of a dam named after the Valley River Place.
13:13It wasn't until naturalists explored the area in 1962 that they realized the mistake that had been made.
13:19Glen Canyon, this place that was an extraordinary, iconic canyon on the Colorado River that was lost when Glen Canyon Dam was built in 1963.
13:29It was home to several breathtaking geological formations like grottos and canyons, and contained archaeological discoveries and human remains dating back to ancient times.
13:40All of it was drowned out by the completion of the dam, permanently transforming it into Lake Powell.
13:45Since then, environmentalists have spent decades fighting for the structure to be dismantled, so that the valley can once again thrive.
13:52I was also angry. I was angry that our generation never got to see the cathedral and see the Glen Canyon as it was, as it should have been.
14:02Number 35, Joaquin Gorge, Australia
14:04Further to the left is the Joaquin Tui Cave, it's completely covered by the gravels and that after the detonations.
14:13Before mining company Rio Tinto received permission from the Australian government to work there, it was one of the richest archaeological and natural sites on the planet.
14:20The Joaquin Gorge was home to a 46,000-year-old cave system that held proof of early human occupation and a plethora of ancient animal bones.
14:30Before the site could be preserved and studied, Rio Tinto blew it up in 2020 to expand the Brockman IV mine.
14:37The Aboriginal Heritage Act of 1972 prevented the traditional owners from stopping the destruction in time.
14:44What they done is wrong. They took a lot of heritage away.
14:47The outcry was severe, leading to an apology from the corporation and authority being returned to the Aboriginal owners.
14:54A replica is reportedly being built, but will no doubt pale in comparison to the original.
15:00Well, the first time I came here, it was natural, untouched, green, prestige.
15:06Now I come in here, it's like looking at a dump.
15:10Number 34, Great Barrier Reef, Australia
15:13Not even the most iconic landmarks on the planet are safe from destructive human actions.
15:18The Great Barrier Reef isn't just the largest coral reef system on the planet, it also provides a rich ecosystem for countless other creatures.
15:25Though it's listed as one of the current wonders of the world, that hasn't stopped people from desecrating it.
15:30Through actions like pollution, farming-induced runoff and overfishing, several species living there have been severely impacted.
15:36However, the biggest problem by far is human-perpetrated climate change.
15:41It's caused the ocean to warm, resulting in several mass coral bleaching events.
15:45We know that global warming is increasing the temperature of our oceans, and that's stressing the corals and causing them to turn white.
15:52What was once a vibrant and colourful site has now been mostly rendered barren, leaving some wondering what will be left of it decades from now.
16:00So more urgency needed, you say. I'm sure lots of campaigners would agree.
16:04Number 33. Cleveland National Forest, United States
16:07With a plethora of landscapes ranging from deserts to lush forests, it's been a rich part of American and human history for generations.
16:15Yet, it was subjected to a potentially intentional blaze in 2018.
16:18The fire started this afternoon near Holy Jim Canyon in the Cleveland National Forest.
16:23The infamous Holy Fire destroyed over 23,000 acres worth of land, affecting everything from the soil to the waterways.
16:30It took authorities over a month to quell the flames, and as it raged on, a suspect was arrested.
16:36He'd allegedly sent an ominous text to a volunteer fire chief, threatening that everything there would burn.
16:41And the register says he's suspected of sending an email last week that said, quote, this place will burn.
16:49He was tried, but a lack of physical evidence led to him being acquitted on the arson charges.
16:55While he went free, the forest was left devastated, and the real perpetrator has yet to be found.
17:00A lot of seed of the valley complaint, wavering in advisement, and frankly, it's not supposed to be found.
17:04Number 32. Styx Valley, Tasmania
17:07Old growth forests aren't just impacted in the United States.
17:10The lush Styx Valley in Tasmania is home to a vast variety of species,
17:14from moss along the forest floor to the world's tallest flowering trees.
17:19Despite its beauty and biodiversity, it's been routinely farmed by logging companies in order to create wood chips.
17:25The destruction has a ripple effect on the rest of the ecosystem, particularly the animals residing there.
17:31Even with the constant protests from environmentalists, the corporations have persisted.
17:36They've gone to huge lengths, including lying about their plans,
17:39and closing designated tourist areas in order to continue their work.
17:43With over a third being cut down as of the mid-2000s,
17:47it's clear they don't plan to stop until all that remains are memories of the valley's existence.
17:52Number 31. Six Grandfathers, United States
17:55To many Americans, Mount Rushmore is a symbol of the country's success and prosperity.
18:01To others, including the Lakota tribe, it's an emblem of cultural and environmental erasure.
18:06For some, this is a symbol of democracy, a symbol of American achievement.
18:12To you, it's what?
18:14It's hypocrisy.
18:16After being illegally taken from the indigenous community in 1876,
18:19the United States government commissioned the ultimate patriotic peace.
18:23Fifty years later, construction began, and so did the destruction.
18:28Using explosives, they decimated over 400,000 tons of the existing rock,
18:33turning the originally formed face to rubble.
18:36While the sculpted presidential heads are beautifully crafted,
18:39they pale in comparison to the natural beauty they eradicated.
18:42The remnants of the original can be seen beyond the edges of the monument,
18:47now serving as a dark reminder of what was taken.
18:50And today, the question remains, how to right the wrongs committed here?
18:55Number 30. Hetch Hetchy, United States
18:58Even the most beautiful locations aren't safe from being sacrificed.
19:01In its prime, Hetch Hetchy was one of the most gorgeous valleys in the western United States.
19:05The Hetch Hetchy Valley is almost ethereal,
19:09with trees and an ambling river walled in by towering mountains of stone.
19:14But it hasn't looked like this since 1915.
19:18Consisting of meadows, forests, and bodies of water,
19:21it was an ecologically diverse area that stunned for generations.
19:25However, after a devastating earthquake and subsequent fire in 1906,
19:29officials decided to use the valley as a water source for San Francisco.
19:32The 1913 Raker Act enabled the area to be flooded and dammed,
19:36permanently altering the landscape.
19:38The decision was controversial,
19:40leading to debates that continue to resonate today.
19:42It's absolutely a hard lift politically,
19:44but I think it's inevitable that we're going to take that dam down.
19:50Not in my lifetime, is my guess.
19:52Even though it can still be hiked and enjoyed,
19:54Hetch Hetchy's beauty is only a fraction of what it once was.
19:58Number 29. Sycamore Gap Tree, England
20:00Some actions are so mindless that it's impossible to tell
20:03why they were done in the first place.
20:05Once serving as a symbol of North East England,
20:07the Sycamore Gap Tree stood proudly for over a century.
20:10Let's take a look at some of these striking images throughout the seasons.
20:14It's really easy to see why this is one of the UK's most photographed trees,
20:19and also why it picked up the award for 2016 Tree of the Year.
20:24That wasn't enough to protect it from its eventual fate.
20:26In 2023, locals awoke to see that the tree had been chopped down.
20:30It was later found to be deliberate,
20:32leading many to wonder the reason for such a needless act.
20:35It's quite upsetting that, you know,
20:37a lot of people have probably got a lot of joy from it,
20:39and pictures, and taking pictures of it.
20:42And it's, yeah, it's such a shame that somebody's came and vandalised
20:47a beautiful part of the countryside.
20:48Two men from Cumbria have been arrested on charges of criminal damage.
20:53Still, it won't erase the destruction of a national icon.
20:56Number 28. Joshua Tree National Park, United States
21:00During the 2018 shutdown of the United States federal government,
21:03countless entities were impacted.
21:05Unlike most, Joshua Tree National Park made the bold choice to remain open with a smaller staff.
21:10Well, it seems like Joshua Tree National Park won't be closing because of the partial government shutdown.
21:17The Desert Preserve says it freed up enough money from recreational fees to stop the closure of the outdoor areas.
21:23While their intentions were to continue to provide people with a beautiful open space,
21:27the decision came back to bite them.
21:28With only eight rangers trying to supervise an enormous park,
21:31visitors had essentially free reign to do as they wished,
21:34which for some was to cause mass destruction.
21:36There were various acts of vandalism, from trees being chopped down to fires being set.
21:41The national park will be staffed, but it may not look the same as it did before the government shutdown.
21:46Tons of trash piled up and officials warned that some irreparable damage was done to the area.
21:52The damage was so intense that a former park superintendent predicted it would take centuries to repair,
21:58all thanks to one five-week period.
22:00Number 27. Colorado National Monument, United States
22:04Ah, young love.
22:05Promposals are nothing new.
22:07For decades, teenagers have gone to extreme lengths to ask one another to the yearly dance,
22:12with some invitations even going viral.
22:14A promposal gone wrong has the internet in outrage mode.
22:18In 2018, one student proved that they can go too far after spray-painting love messages
22:22and an invitation on Colorado National Monument.
22:26The park, made up of gorgeous canyons and intricate rock formations,
22:29would have been a perfect location to ask someone to prom in person.
22:32However, the suspect caused damage that required extensive cleaning.
22:36Pictures from the monument in Fruita show three different places that have been spray-painted.
22:41The messages say,
22:42I promise to love you and you're perfect to me,
22:45and one of them seems to be a proposal.
22:47Although officials have searched hard to this day,
22:49the perpetrator remains uncaught.
22:51And unfortunately, it appears as though that may always be the case.
22:55Number 26.
22:56Hangzhou's Pink Grass, China.
22:58This is why we can't have nice things.
23:01In fall, Mullenbergia capillaris, also known as the hair on merli,
23:05grows a layer of vibrant pink flowers, causing it to stand out.
23:09The plant's seeds had been transported from Australia to a riverside park in the city of Hangzhou, China in 2016.
23:17But just two years later, tourists flocked to the park,
23:20using it as the ultimate aesthetic background for their selfies.
23:23The amount of spectators visiting caused whole patches to be trampled,
23:26forcing the pink grass to be removed days after it arrived.
23:30This brought an end to what had once been an interesting way of increasing traffic in the area.
23:34Number 25.
23:35Zhanggeidangshia, China.
23:37Even the most unfathomable of natural phenomena isn't safe from human meddling.
23:42With its vibrant colors and millions of years' worth of sandstone and other minerals,
23:46Zhanggeidangshia is one of the most unique landforms on Earth.
23:50Some areas are completely closed off to visitors.
23:52But unfortunately, that didn't stop a small group of tourists from inviting themselves in.
23:57They filmed themselves walking across the ancient scape,
24:00bragging about how they snuck in and were wrecking the 6,000-year-old area.
24:05They were rightfully dragged online afterwards, but the damage had already been done.
24:08Although it seemed minor, a staff member revealed that it would take decades for it to heal,
24:13proving that even the smallest actions can have vast consequences.
24:16Number 24.
24:17Utah's Dinosaur Tracks, United States.
24:20Something as simple as a fossil can be a powerful reminder of the vast life that came before us.
24:25There are multiple sites in Utah where people can observe the footprints of dinosaurs that walked there eons ago.
24:31Look at that.
24:33Wow.
24:34Wow.
24:34What a giant.
24:36While most would be humbled by such a site, others proved to not be so impressed.
24:40Throughout 2018, several tracks at Red Fleet State Park were dislodged and thrown into a lake.
24:46While some pieces were recovered, others were assumed to be gone for good.
24:49This isn't the only notable dinosaur track location in Utah to be affected by human behavior.
24:54In 2022, a 112-million-year-old site was harmed after being driven over by construction vehicles.
25:02Some tire track damage occurred to dinosaur footprints at the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Track site.
25:09They say work has been stopped until a final report on the damage is released.
25:14Number 23.
25:15The Senator Cypress Tree, United States.
25:18You'd think an organism that stood for well over 3,000 years would be indestructible.
25:23But sometimes, all it takes is one careless act.
25:26The Senator had been the oldest bald cypress tree, not just in Florida, but the entire world.
25:32It seemed like the Senator would always be here to watch over us.
25:35Then, January 16th, 2012, the unimaginable happened.
25:41Reaching a staggering 125 feet, it was a proud reminder of nature's resilience.
25:46On one fateful night in 2012, all of that was wiped out when a woman ignited a garbage fire near the base.
25:53It quickly grew out of control, burning the tree from the inside out.
25:57Since the horrible incident, the Senator has been memorialized via art and renovations to the area,
26:02and it is still mourned to this day.
26:04And this was a terrible consequence.
26:05This is a consequence that we cannot bring back.
26:08We cannot fix.
26:09Number 22.
26:10Lake Mead's Ancient Rock Formation, United States.
26:13In recent decades, there's been more of an effort to encourage people to respect the earth and their local natural areas.
26:19While some have taken that to heart, others still choose the path of mindless destruction.
26:24It takes millions of years for these rock formations to form,
26:28and then you get a few idiots out there that are destroying all that work of nature.
26:33It's pretty appalling.
26:34It's kind of disgusting.
26:35In the spring of 2024, two men were filmed pushing over rocks at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
26:41The formation had reportedly been formed from dunes that had existed there over a hundred million years ago,
26:47only to be ruined within a span of minutes.
26:50The suspects were found and indicted, and could face up to ten years behind bars if convicted.
26:55It could range from six months in jail and a $5,000 fine, all the way up to a felony offence.
27:01Number 21.
27:02Brimham Rocks, England.
27:04This was the ultimate act of teenage rebellion gone horribly wrong.
27:08The Brimham Rocks site is one of the most awe-inspiring in all of England,
27:12with its foundations dating back over 300 million years.
27:15The constant erosion caused some extremely unique formations to take shape,
27:19with many seemingly defying gravity.
27:21Several are still standing today, but one in particular met a brutal, unnatural end.
27:26A group of young people were reportedly seen shoving it off a cliff that it was balanced on,
27:30causing it to shatter on the ground below.
27:32In one horrific act, eons of natural development were erased.
27:35Despite there being witnesses, the perpetrators were never caught.
27:39Number 20.
27:40Guaira Falls, Paraguay and Brazil.
27:43It's kind of strange to see a deceased symbol next to a massive waterfall's entry on Wikipedia,
27:48but here we are.
27:49These stunning falls on the Paranar River roared so loudly that they could be heard from 20 miles away.
27:56Their sighs and deafening sound drew in tourists from around the world,
28:00and the falls were deeply loved by the local people.
28:03In 1973, the Itaipu Dam was announced, and the falls' days were numbered.
28:08Over the next nine years, crowds visited the area for a chance to see the falls one last time.
28:14Tragedy struck when a bridge collapsed and killed several tourists.
28:18The falls completely disappeared in 1982, much to the sadness of those who enjoyed their beauty.
28:31Number 19.
28:32Aral Sea, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
28:35You might be wondering how an entire sea can disappear,
28:38but never underestimate the power of poorly planned farming practices.
28:42In order to grow large amounts of cotton,
28:44the Soviet government diverted the waters of the Amudarya and the Sirudarya rivers
28:49from the Aral Sea to the desert.
28:51The sea shrank from 26,300 square miles in 1960 to four small lakes totalling 6,626 square miles in 2004.
29:03Since the 1960s, over 90% of the sea has disappeared.
29:08The remnants of the Aral Sea are highly toxic and too salty to support many forms of life,
29:15which has partially led to the probable extinction of the Aral Trout and Sirdarya sturgeon.
29:21This once prosperous village was abandoned by its residents when there was no more fish.
29:27Additionally, the toxins have led to a tragic increase in cancer in the people who live in the region.
29:33We're living in the region.
29:35We don't live in the region.
29:36We don't live in the region.
29:39We don't live in the region.
29:41We don't live in the region.
29:41We don't live in the region.
29:42We don't live in the region.
29:43We don't live in the region.
29:45Number 18.
29:47Kidkayas, Canada.
29:49This beautiful, unique tree met its unfortunate demise at the hands of one man.
29:54The Kidkayas was a Sitka spruce that had a rare genetic mutation.
29:59The spruce's unusual golden colour made it stand out among the other trees.
30:03and it was sacred to the indigenous Hyder people.
30:06The golden spruce even featured in Hyder mythology.
30:09In January 1997, however,
30:12forester engineer Grant Hadwin made cuts in the iconic tree as an act of protest,
30:18causing it to fall two days later.
30:20Hadwin faxed in his confession to both the media and the Hyder nation.
30:25He disappeared on his way to his trial and has not been seen since.
30:29Number 17, Prometheus Tree, United States.
30:33Yes, this is yet another North American tree that was cut down,
30:37but at least it was apparently an accident this time.
30:40Prometheus was a great basin bristlecone pine,
30:43and it was believed to be more than 4,800 years old,
30:47making it the oldest non-clonal organism known to man.
30:51In 1964, graduate student Donald R. Curry was studying ancient trees.
30:57Accounts vary as to why Curry cut and sectioned Prometheus
31:00instead of simply collecting a core sample.
31:03However, Curry claimed that he,
31:05and the United States Forest Service personnel who helped him,
31:08did not know about the tree's significance.
31:11Sadly, no matter the circumstances,
31:13all that remains of Prometheus is a very large stump.
31:17Number 16, El Dorado Ranch Park, United States.
31:21Once upon a time, the only risk associated with baby showers
31:25was encountering some bad punch.
31:27But nowadays, they can cause massive wildfires
31:30that destroy thousands of acres of parklands.
31:33In September 2020, Refugio Manuel Jimenez Jr.
31:37and Angela Rene Jimenez decided to reveal their baby's gender
31:40with a smoking pyrotechnical device.
31:43The device smoked a little too much and started a fire.
31:46The blaze spread over more than 22,000 acres
31:50and resulted in the death of firefighter Charlie Morton.
31:54People were really concerned about the impact
31:56that something that started off, that seemed so innocent,
31:59ended up having such an amazing impact
32:02on people in the community, their homes.
32:04In this case, a life was lost.
32:06If you want to have a gender reveal party,
32:08maybe stick with pink or blue cupcakes
32:10instead of involuntary manslaughter and massive destruction.
32:14He's fighting a fire that was started because of a smoke bomb.
32:17That's the only reason he's there.
32:19Number 15, the Nazca Lines, Peru.
32:22From here, it might not look like much.
32:25Because to really see the Nazca Lines,
32:27you need a completely different perspective.
32:30The beautiful and culturally significant Nazca Lines
32:33survived two millennia of weather,
32:35but even they could not escape the stupidity of people.
32:38The UNESCO World Heritage Site covers a large area,
32:41so it is, in theory, pretty difficult to miss.
32:45Unfortunately, in 2018, a truck driver
32:48still managed to ruin part of the important site.
32:51Jainer Jesus Flores Vigo drove over a portion of the lines,
32:55destroying some of the images.
32:57Along with a much smaller but still significant act
33:00of vandalism by activists,
33:02this encouraged more stringent security around the area.
33:06Number 14, Big Major K Pigs, The Bahamas.
33:09What's better than serene, beautiful beach time?
33:12Serene, beautiful beach time with sweet, adorable pigs, of course.
33:16The famous Big Major K Pigs are so friendly and trusting
33:20that they'll even swim with tourists,
33:22making for wonderful memories and gorgeous pictures.
33:25And it's turned the swimming pigs of the Bahamas
33:28into international superstars.
33:31Unfortunately, the flood of visitors
33:33has also resulted in pollution and overly crowded sands.
33:37In 2017, over half a dozen pigs were found dead.
33:40Tourists were blamed for feeding the pigs inappropriate food,
33:44including rum, and throwing food into the sand,
33:47which the pigs ingested along with the tasty morsels.
33:50Thankfully, the remaining pigs seem to be doing well,
33:53but make sure you always refrain from feeding wildlife,
33:56no matter how cute it is.
33:58They've become the biggest single attraction in the Exuma Keys.
34:03Number 13, Galapagos Islands Ecosystem, Ecuador.
34:08Ever since humans first started visiting
34:10these breathtakingly beautiful islands,
34:12they've been causing problems.
34:14The flora and fauna of the Galapagos
34:15have developed in unique ways,
34:17but this sadly makes them vulnerable
34:19when it comes to competition.
34:21Humans have been intentionally and unintentionally
34:24introducing invasive species of plants and animals
34:27to this beautiful archipelago for centuries.
34:30Probably somewhere between 65 to 75% of all the extinctions
34:34have occurred on islands.
34:38And of that, somewhere between 80 and 90% or even more
34:42is because of invasive species.
34:45Some of these invasive species have caused
34:47quite a few problems for the native ones,
34:49including habitat loss and food competition.
34:51Thankfully, efforts have been introduced in an attempt
34:54to reduce and reverse the negative impacts.
34:57Tourism is a double-edged sword.
35:00It can be good and it can be bad.
35:04So let's make sure that we manage tourism
35:06the best possible way
35:08and we use tourism as a conservation tool.
35:12Number 12, Torres del Paine Forests, Chile.
35:16Nicknamed the crown jewel of Patagonia,
35:18this UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is a gorgeous and unique area.
35:23Home to endangered species and stunning views,
35:26Torres del Paine National Park draws in hundreds of thousands of visitors a year.
35:30Unfortunately, not every visitor is as responsible as they should be.
35:35This national park suffered from two large fires six years apart.
35:39The first, in 2005, was caused by a tourist's overturned gas stove
35:44and it burned about 15,000 hectares.
35:46The second, larger fire, burned 17,000 hectares
35:50and was caused by a tourist lighting toilet paper on fire.
35:54Both fires killed thousands of animals and caused massive damage.
35:58The next time you go camping, make sure you heed Smokey Bear's advice.
36:03Come on, man.
36:04If it's too hard to touch, it's too hard to leave.
36:06Number 11, Bwongkok Lake, Cambodia.
36:08The destruction of any natural wonder is tragic,
36:12but it's even worse when it has an enormous human cost as well.
36:16This lake's shores in Phnom Penh were home to thousands of peoples
36:19who depended on its waters for food and money from tourism.
36:24In 2007, the city's government announced the sale of the lake
36:27and its surrounding area to a property development firm.
36:30The developers pumped mud and sand into the lake,
36:33transforming it from a sprawling body of water to a puddle.
36:37Thousands of families were displaced or evicted from their homes
36:40due to this horrific undertaking.
36:43Number 10, Devil's Hole Pupfish, United States.
36:47A critically endangered species of pupfish
36:49only lives in Devil's Hole in Nevada.
36:53They're so valued as unique that they spawned
36:55Save the Pupfish bumper stickers in the 1960s and 70s.
37:00This led to the US government to spend millions of dollars to preserve them.
37:04In April 2016, three men broke into the secured area around Devil's Hole.
37:10They destroyed surveillance cameras and one man even jumped into the hole,
37:14smashing pupfish eggs during their peak spawning season.
37:18The vandalism led to the death of one of the valued pupfish,
37:21lowering that spring's population from 115 to 114.
37:26Ultimately, the vandals were charged with violating the Endangered Species Act
37:31and security around the pupfish habitat was further heightened.
37:35Number 9, Uluru and its Rare Shrimp, Australia.
37:39Uluru is an iconic monolith that stands as one of the most recognisable aspects
37:44of Australian geography and as a sacred landmark to the Aboriginal people of the area.
37:50When tourists began flocking to the area in the 1930s,
37:54some of them made a huge negative environmental impact.
37:58Visitors climbed the sacred sandstone rock against the wishes of the local Anangu
38:02and even relieved themselves on the site.
38:05You want to sit, take it out, fire away.
38:08Remember to aim.
38:10It's very important.
38:11By the 1970s, human waste was blamed for eliminating a rare species of shrimp
38:16that lived exclusively on what's also known as Ayers Rock.
38:21Over the years, there were even more incidents of tourist indecency,
38:25including a woman removing much of her clothing upon reaching the top of Uluru.
38:30In 2019, a ban on climbing Uluru finally went into effect to help preserve the site.
38:37Number 8, Paracel Archipelago, South China Sea.
38:41Also known as the Shisha Islands, the Paracel Archipelago are in a disputed area in the South China Sea.
38:48Their stunningly clear waters are home to many rare sea creatures and colourful coral reefs.
38:55When the islands were opened up to tourism and cruises in 2013, the wildlife immediately suffered.
39:01Tourists plucked ocean animals from their homes, including lobsters and rare endangered giant clams,
39:07and ate them.
39:07They even broke off pieces of coral to take home as souvenirs.
39:12While many of these actions are illegal,
39:14that didn't prevent ignorant tourists from posting about their crimes on social media.
39:19Number 7, Racetrack Playa, United States.
39:23Despite its name, this gorgeous dry lake in Death Valley is not designed for high-speed vehicles.
39:28Its name comes from the mysterious sailing stones that leave behind noticeable trails across the level, pristine surface.
39:36Racetrack Playa's beautiful and unusual landscape was vandalised in 2016 when a driver tore through the fragile area and left behind 10 miles of ruts.
39:47Behold, the upward spiralling pigtail!
39:51The driver spun all over the dry lake, cutting swerves and doughnuts all over the ground.
39:56This blatant act of vandalism caused significant, noticeable and long-lasting damage to the picturesque surface crust of Racetrack Playa.
40:06Number 6, Isla de Zaporaza, Spain.
40:14While the beautiful Isla de Zaporaza is uninhabited, tourists still frequent it while vacationing in the area.
40:22In fact, some holidaymakers have made it a rite of passage to try to make it to the island while under the influence, despite police warnings.
40:30In 2015, two teenagers were exploring the island. In a grand and stupid move, they dropped a lit cigarette.
40:37It caused an enormous blaze across the island.
40:41The fire tore through several acres and required two helicopters carrying water to douse the flames.
40:47Although the incident was treated as an accident, it does serve as a testament to the foolishness of some tourists.
40:54Number 5, Cliffs of Moher, Ireland.
40:57The world-famous Cliffs of Moher are among Europe's most stunning natural wonders and are gorgeous on their own.
41:05However, in 2013, a group of artists apparently thought they could one-up one of Mother Nature's most beautiful pieces of art by adding to it.
41:14Much to the dismay of geologists, they graffitied the highest point of the cliffs.
41:19As if it were not obvious enough that these vandals were not the brightest stars in the sky, they recorded themselves in the act.
41:25They also graffitied several other sites and posted every act of vandalism on their social media before deactivating their accounts.
41:34The rock's 300 million years old. It's got its own natural beauty. It's weathered by the waves, the wind, over vast periods of time.
41:39That's what people come to see. They don't come to see somebody spray-painting a bit of it.
41:42Number 4, Duck Bill, United States.
41:45Oregon's Duck Bill was a unique sandstone hoodoo that was iconic on the titular state's coast and attracted many tourists every single year.
41:55The Duck Bill survived decades of winds and tides from the Pacific to serve as a scenic spot for visitors.
42:01It could not, however, survive a group of teenage vandals.
42:05They toppled the one-of-a-kind hoodoo after their friend allegedly broke a leg on the rock formation.
42:11We looked over and there was probably eight guys pushing over the big rock.
42:16The group claimed they were performing a service to the public, despite several warning signs and the area around the Duck Bill being surrounded by a fence.
42:25Although the vandals were filmed in the act, they were never caught.
42:28They kind of just, like, laughed it off, took it with pride that they destroyed something magnificent and then just kind of disappeared right after.
42:36Number 3, The Tree of Tenere, Niger.
42:40Once deemed the globe's most isolated tree, this acacia was thought to be the only tree for more than 250 miles.
42:48It was considered an iconic part of Niger's landscape, especially recognized as a landmark on caravan routes through that area of the Sahara Desert.
42:57And it was even included on maps.
43:00Despite being the only obstacle for literally miles, even this isolated tree could not escape unscathed from ridiculous human behavior.
43:09In 1973, the tree was inexplicably hit by a truck driver.
43:14Their actions removed an important feature from Niger's landscape.
43:18While a memorial sculpture now stands in its place, the tree can never truly be replaced.
43:24Number 2, Utah's Goblin Hoodoos, United States.
43:29Camping among centuries of geological history seems like a dream come true.
43:34But that dream can come crashing down.
43:37Literally, when morons get involved.
43:40One of Utah's most memorable geographic features are its ancient and giant mushroom-like hoodoos.
43:46In 2013, a Boy Scout troop was visiting the magical and hoodoo-filled Goblin Valley State Park.
43:54Wiggle it just a little bit.
43:57According to the troop leaders, however, there were goblin hoodoos that seemed too dangerous.
44:02Fearing that one of them could crush someone, the troop leaders toppled the supposedly threatening ancient formation.
44:09People will say, you guys were Boy Scout leaders, you should know better.
44:12They could have easily just reported the potential danger and stayed away from it.
44:16Instead, they filmed and posted their destructive behaviour, and then were subsequently removed from their leadership roles.
44:23It's all about saving lives.
44:25They posted their clip on YouTube.
44:28Too bad restoring the goblin hoodoos isn't that easy.
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44:47Number 1. Raja Ampat Reefs. New Guinea, Indonesia.
44:51There's not much time left.
44:52The incredible Raja Ampat Reefs, sometimes called the Underwater Amazon, are among the most important ecosystems in the world,
45:01because they contain the most marine life diversity on Earth.
45:04Because of their beauty and amazing coral reef biodiversity, they attract quite a few visitors,
45:11that unfortunately included one particularly destructive cruise ship.
45:15The ship ran aground at low tide, and caused irreversible damage to the important ecosystem.
45:29Over 17,000 square feet of the reef were damaged.
45:33The damage was determined to be worth nearly $19 million, and recovery will take decades.
45:40With the worldwide decline of coral reefs, this was considered a huge global blow to marine wildlife.
45:52Which ruined natural wonder would you have loved to see in its prime?
45:57Let us know in the comments below.
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