Butterfly Damaged: Caverns of Sonora

[Sharon Faulkner]

This was posted on the Texas list serve with a request to circulate among cavers.
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This is a posting I hoped never to make.

On November 21, 2006, the Butterfly at Caverns of Sonora was seriously damaged. The upper portion of the right wing was snapped off and has vanished.

The incident, while not witnessed by cavern personnel, is well documented as it was intact when the guide passed by on one tour and noted as damaged on the following tour. The perps are thought to be early 20s tourists who paid for their tickets with credit cards. There was some purposeful activity to distract the guide and also some suspicious conversation about the Butterfly both before and after the breakage.

At this point, the event is being viewed as a misdemeanor by the local authorities and is receiving little, if any, of their attention. Despite the credit card receipt, the information that might be produced from that can only be obtained by subpoena and that requires the active support of the law enforcement authorities of Sutton County.

So what can you, as interested (horrified?) bystanders, do in this case? Two things, I think. First, circulate this information in the caving community so that we have thousands of eyes and ears paying attention and second, write a polite letter to the authorities listed below in which you express dismay at this incident and let them know that you will be following the case and their progress toward solving it.

The first priority is to recover the broken fragment if possible. If the joining edges are not badly damaged, a satisfactory repair may be made. After that, we might hope that the person(s) responsible will be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.

If you have any information please contact cave owner Gerry Ingham at 325-387-3105 or 325-387-2970.

Here is the text of the original posting and contact information for the proper authorities. Thanks for your support.

===Carl Kunath


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[Original posting from Joe Smart]
One of the amazing formations in the cave is the world famous butterfly formation. See photo of the formation: www.caves.com/sonora.jpg

Recently, someone (we believe on a dare) broke and took a piece of the butterfly, destroying it forever.

The police/authorities are doing NOTHING and I have watched my wife cry and lose sleep over the lack of regard for this national monument and the communities apathy.

I am asking the caving community to speak up and contact the authorities as well as the Chamber of Commerce and let them know that this is VERY IMPORTANT and that if they have a lead (and they do) they need to get rolling on it. If you are truly into caves, you will recognize this butterfly, as I do, as a priceless work of art.

Please help us!


Sonora, Texas Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 1172
205 Hwy 277 North, Suite B
Sonora, TX 76950
Phone: [phone] or [phone]/Fax: [phone]

County Sheriff
Sheriff Joe Fincher
P. O. Box 1212
Sonora, Texas 76950
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

County Attorney
David W. Wallace
P. O. Box 1508
Sonora, Texas 76950
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

[madratdan]

You beat me to it, Sharon. This is so sad. I'm guessing without looking that Texas is lacking in any kind of strict cave vandalism laws. I plan to write a short and polite letter to help the cause. I hope others will do the same. Sad they don't have the formation piece in their posession. Lets hope it can be recoved in one piece at least.

[Sharon Faulkner]

I hope they can recover the piece that was broken off, but as of now the situation doesn't look promising. I think this is a relatively new area for law enforcement officials and the District Attorney, who will ultimately be the one who decides upon filing any charges.

Sonora management had a press conference today announcing the damage.
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The Sonora Caverns Vandalized
12/4/2006

One of the most unique underground cavern formation in the World has been vandalized at Sonora Caverns. A manager at Sonora Caverns about 70 miles south of San Angelo says the World-famous "Butterfly" formation has been damaged.

The formation is actually a pair of symmetrical fishtail helictites that forms a butterfly shape. Someone reportedly broke off most of the formation's right side sometime around Thanksgiving. The Caverns of Sonora, which is privately owned and operated became a National Landmark in 1966.

www.klst.tv/


There are more photographs of the Butterfly formation at this link:

www.cavernsofsonora.com/index.php?id=104

[guanonoggin]

Dude!
That friggin sux man! Total bad Karma for the bozos who did the deed. What a freakin bummer.

I'm trashed out about all this........

[Sharon Faulkner]

Here is a much more detailed article describing the overall situation. This article includes before and after photos showing the damage to the butterfly.
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Famed rock butterfly in cave is vandalized
12/05/2006
Jerry Needham

Caving enthusiasts across the country are incensed over an apparent act of vandalism that may have irreparably damaged the world-famous "butterfly formation" in the Caverns of Sonora. "It's really a sad event," said Geary Schindel, chief technical officer for the Edwards Aquifer Authority and an avid caver. "It's probably the best-known cave formation in the United States, if not the world. In my opinion, it's equivalent to destroying a priceless work of art like the Mona Lisa or a Picasso."

Someone in a group of 11 people on a tour Nov. 21 apparently hung back momentarily and snapped off the upper right wing of the butterfly and made off with it, cave co-owner Gerry Ingham said. The damage was discovered about a half-hour later during the next tour, but the previous tour members already had left the property.

She said she turned over information that should have led to identification of a suspect, including a credit card receipt, but no charges have been filed as Sutton County authorities try to determine what crime was committed. Now she's pleading for the safe return of the missing piece, which is about 3 1/2 inches wide by 4 1/2 inches long. "If they don't do anything but put it in a box and mail it back to us, that would be the best thing for us," Ingham said. "It's the signature formation at the very heart of our entire cave. Right now, we're just trying to plead for the return of this piece because the investigation has not proceeded. We don't want to threaten anyone. We don't want to scare anyone. "The longer we leave this piece out of its environment, the harder it's going to be to repair," she said. "We're just fervently hoping that it's recovered intact and not in any way destroyed."

Ingham, whose family has owned the property for five generations and opened the cave commercially in 1960, said the damage was not an accident. "My nephew is 6-(foot-)3 and he couldn't stand on his tiptoes and reach over the railing and touch this formation with his fingertips," Ingham said.

Cavers are devastated by the loss. The National Speleological Society is offering a reward of $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects in the case. "The butterfly is world-famous," said George Veni, a San Antonio karst and cave geologist who has just been hired to be director of the National Cave and Karst Institute in Carlsbad, N.M. "The Caverns of Sonora are recognized as the most beautiful show cave in the world. It's just gorgeous. People come from around the world to see it, and this one formation has become their trademark. It's the grand finale of both tours through the cave."

Ingham said it's frustrating waiting for authorities to act. "Due to the fact that our state cave protection laws are really weak and classify this kind of thing as a Class B misdemeanor, law officers tend to stick it on the back burner," she said, adding that she kept the vandalism quiet for a while to allow the law to work.

But the lack of a big stick chasing after suspects has raised the ire of cavers, whose Internet network has named Sutton County Attorney David Wallace as a sticking point. But Wallace, who said he handled a few calls Tuesday from cavers, said he's all for pursuing suspects aggressively and charging them with felonies. "That's a major attraction that affects not only that family but this whole community," he said. "When the case got routed to me last week, I was going, 'sure I can make it a cave crime, charge them with a Class B misdemeanor,'" Wallace said. "At the same time, I don't think any caver that I've talked to is real happy that it would be a Class B misdemeanor, and for somebody to possibly get up to six months in jail as a worst-case scenario for something that significant.

Full Article

[madratdan]

I was waiting to see some pictures of the damage, Sharon. This is really a tragic loss to the cavern and it's operation. To have your prized formation destroyed and not be able to pursue the perpetrators, is a crime in itself. Maybe if people keep writing letters, the message will get across on it's ecstatic value and worth as a tourist attraction. Surely they will loose some revenue over this.

[Azurerana]

It sounds like the prosecuting attorney has gotten the message on the worth of the formation to the cave, if he's talking $200,000 and felony charges. A similar thing happened at Cathedral Cave. Instead of cave vandalism, the locals were charged with breaking and entering, transporting a firearm over state lines without a permit (had an unpermitted gun with them in the cave) and eventually were also charged with felony theft, when it was discovered the ATVs they rode up on were stolen property, and after a search, a stolen Bobcat (the construction variety) was discovered on their property as well.

If the butterfly cannot be recovered (would they be so stupid as to hold it for ransom?) its quite possible that someone like the NCA could estimate financial damages to the cave which would stand in court, assuming the perps can be found. I think a $1000 reward is a little slim actually. Maybe the NSS/NCA could make squealing a bit more interesting...by establishing a reward fund or something.

[jonsdigs]

Part of caverns' butterfly stolen
Dec. 6, 2006, 1:29AM
Houston Chronicle News Services


Photo courtesy of Caverns of Sonora

SONORA — Officials at the Caverns of Sonora said Tuesday they are hoping for the return of a stolen portion of the site's most well-known attraction, a naturally formed translucent butterfly.

About two-thirds of one of the butterfly's wings were stolen shortly before Thanksgiving, and the Sutton County Sheriff's Office continued to investigate Tuesday, officials said.

"That was our signature formation," said Gerry Ingham, the cavern's co-owner and chief financial officer. "It was literally the heart of our cave." The longer the wing is out of the humidity of the caves, the harder it will be to reattach, she said. The wing will dry out and eventually crumble. "It is worthless out of its cave, its natural environment," Ingham said.

The cave system is 90 percent active or "alive," meaning that most of the formations are still growing as minerals are deposited by percolating water within the caves The cave is eight miles west of Sonora, which is 70 miles south of San Angelo.

Article

[L Roebuck]

Editorial: Cave vandals deserve serious punishment
Web Posted: 12/08/2006 08:30 PM CST
San Antonio Express-News

If vandalism of the world-famous "butterfly formation" in the Caverns of Sonora is not a felony offense it should be.

No one should be allowed to get away with a slap on the wrist for denying future generations the opportunity to witness firsthand the beauty nature has created over the centuries.

A piece of the upper right wing that was 31/2 inches wide and 41/2 inches long was snapped off the majestic butterfly by someone in a group of 11 that toured the cave Nov. 21.

Caving enthusiasts the world over are mourning the destruction to the formation that took hundreds of thousands of years to develop.

No charges have been filed, but police are trying to track down the suspect using a credit card receipt.

The National Speleological Society is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the irresponsible act.

The cave's co-owner, Gerry Ingham, is appealing for the return of the broken wing.

Full Editorial

[L Roebuck]

Reward increased in cave butterfly case

Web Posted: 12/14/2006 12:41 AM CST
Express-News

The reward for the safe return of the missing wing of a rock butterfly vandalized last month in the Caverns of Sonora was raised Wednesday to $20,000.

A fund has been set up for contributions.

The butterfly formation, one of hundreds of crystalline-like structures formed by thousands of years of dripping water in the cave, is world-famous and featured in books as the most perfectly formed cave butterfly.

Article

[L Roebuck]

Treasured Texas Cave Feature Known as the `Butterfly' Vandalized at Caverns of Sonora

$20,000 Reward Offered for Safe Return of Priceless Formation

SONORA, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--One of America's greatest speleological treasures was vandalized last month at the Caverns of Sonora, a family-owned attraction in west Texas. The Caverns of Sonora is a National Natural Landmark due in part to the phenomenal display of speleothems known as "helictites" and in particular "bladed helictites," rare and beautiful cave formations.

Cavern officials believe on November 21, 2006, a group of visitors intentionally and knowingly distracted a tour guide with the intent of destroying the cavern's most famous formation, know as the Butterfly, a bladed helictite.

A piece of the upper right wing of the formation, which measures approximately 4 1/2 inches long and 3 1/2 inches wide was broken off in an act of senseless destruction. "This particular formation is what the Caverns of Sonora is known for -- the Butterfly is our trademark," said Seco Mayfield, co-owner of the caverns with sister Gerry Ingham. "We are now seeking to find the individuals responsible for this act and trying to recover the missing piece that has taken many thousands of years to be created," Mayfield continued.

Cavern officials are working with local, county and state officials to retrieve records related to visitors on the day the vandalism occurred. A preliminary investigation revealed a visitor from the Houston area as a possible suspect. Sutton County officials ask anyone who has knowledge of this crime to contact them at phone [phone].

The national caving community is also getting involved, including the National Speleological Society that made a $1,000 pledge. Mayfield's son Ed said that people from all over the country are interested in helping and as a result, his family has set up a fund for contributions. "The support shown has been huge," said Ed Mayfield.

The $20,000 reward will be issued for information related to the safe return of the formation.

The Caverns of Sonora is a natural cave that is one of the most active caves in the world. The attraction is situated on Mayfield Caverns Ranch, approximately 8 miles west of Sonora, Texas. For more information or to see additional photos, please visit www.cavernsofsonora.com.

MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE: www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5293870

Contact:
Caverns of Sonora
Ed Mayfield, 325-387-5834
or
Karen Adams, 210-844-8973

Source: Caverns of Sonora

Press Release

[L Roebuck]

Caverns offer reward in theft of 'treasure'
Houston & Texas News
Dec. 16, 2006
Vandals broke part of butterfly wing, centerpiece of Sonora display

By JOHN W. GONZALEZ
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

The owners of the Caverns of Sonora in Southwest Texas are offering a reward for the return of a national treasure — part of a rare butterfly formation that took shape over thousands of years.

Robbed of their dazzling centerpiece, valued in excess of $500,000, on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, cave owners are offering a $20,000 reward for its safe return.

They claim college-age visitors from the Houston area may have been responsible for the vandalism, which apparently involved the intentional distraction of a tour guide.

Sutton County Sheriff Joe Fincher declined comment on possible suspects.

"We're certainly continuing the investigation, and if it warrants, subjects will be arrested," Fincher said Thursday.

Also declining to discuss witness accounts and other evidence gathered in the past three weeks, the sheriff said, "we've got some subpoenas issued and we're going from there."

Fincher said he's eager to solve the criminal case.

"It's a pretty serious deal," Fincher said.

Cavern owners issued a statement late Wednesday expressing heartbreak over the loss of "one of America's greatest speleological treasures" to "an act of senseless destruction" on Nov. 21.

Full Article

[Brad Tipton]

Any news on the search for these dumb asses? Sometimes certain acts of stupidity still shock me. Like here in Chattanooga we had some idiots running around the National Cemetary vandalizing monuments. Why do people do these things?

[L Roebuck]

I don't know if anyone else has heard anything but I have not received any news that the cave vandals have been caught yet.