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| Leye Craters (Dolines) Group |
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Located 460 kilometers northwest of Nanning (the capital city of Guangxi),
Leye craters lie in the limestone mountains unknown to the outside
world until 1998 after a geological survey launched by Ministry of
Land and Resources. So far, scientists have found 20 big ones of different
types in the area, the largest group in the world. Hence, Leye obtained
the title of Dolines Museum. And a fossil cave was also discovered
nearby. In 2002 a research team assembled by 50 members from 9 countries
undertook a full exploration to these craters.
The deepest and most spacious crater is called Dashiwei with a
capacity of 80 million cubic meters, 613 m in dept. It is home to
more than 1000 varieties of plants and some cave creatures like
blindfish, crab, shrimp and flying squirrel. Experts claim that
the dolines in Leye are distinguished from all the others in terms
of a well-supplied subterranean river and a dense forest underneath.
Scientists have also found that the river consists of a hot current
and a cold current, the reason is still a mystery. |
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