Post by L Roebuck on Nov 25, 2007 7:59:22 GMT -5
Some vandalized treasures are lost forever
By Hannah Franklin
For the Times-Delta
While paints, chemicals and wire brushes may clean up the marks of some vandals, other vandalism is permanent.
In November 2003, vandals smashed, battered and hacked away at the rock formations in Overhang Cave in Sequoia National Park.
Overhang Cave is estimated to be 500,000 to 1 million years old. While similar features can be found in other park caves, Overhang Cave is known for its biological richness. The destruction damaged the habitat of cave-adapted animals such as millipedes, crickets, spiders and other invertebrates.
"[The cave formations] are irreplaceable, they certainly don't come back in any human lifetime," said Sequoia cave specialist Joel Despain.
The vandals also carved graffiti into the wall, and left behind a large quantity of beer and soda cans, officials said. A water line was torn apart and used to gain access to the rock formations.
The culprits were never caught, despite a $1,000 reward offered for information on their identities.
Full Text
By Hannah Franklin
For the Times-Delta
While paints, chemicals and wire brushes may clean up the marks of some vandals, other vandalism is permanent.
In November 2003, vandals smashed, battered and hacked away at the rock formations in Overhang Cave in Sequoia National Park.
Overhang Cave is estimated to be 500,000 to 1 million years old. While similar features can be found in other park caves, Overhang Cave is known for its biological richness. The destruction damaged the habitat of cave-adapted animals such as millipedes, crickets, spiders and other invertebrates.
"[The cave formations] are irreplaceable, they certainly don't come back in any human lifetime," said Sequoia cave specialist Joel Despain.
The vandals also carved graffiti into the wall, and left behind a large quantity of beer and soda cans, officials said. A water line was torn apart and used to gain access to the rock formations.
The culprits were never caught, despite a $1,000 reward offered for information on their identities.
Full Text