Sima Humboldt facts for kids

Sima Humboldt is a giant hole in the ground, also known as a sinkhole. It is located on top of a flat-topped mountain called Sarisariñama tepui in Bolívar State, Venezuela. This amazing natural wonder is special for many reasons. It is incredibly large and deep. It also sits on the only forested tepui, which is a rare sight. Even more surprisingly, it has its own patch of forest growing at its very bottom! The way this sinkhole was formed, by natural wearing away of rock, also makes it unique. Scientists named this impressive feature after the famous explorer Alexander von Humboldt.

How Sima Humboldt Was Found

The Sima Humboldt sinkhole was first seen in 1961. A pilot named Harry Gibson was flying over the area when he spotted it from the air. He also saw another huge sinkhole nearby, which is now known as Sima Martel.

Exploring the Giant Sinkhole

People first went down into Sima Humboldt in 1974. Later, in 1976, scientists explored it much more carefully. This sinkhole is truly massive! It holds about 18,000,000 cubic meters of space. At its widest point near the top, it measures about 352 meters across. But it gets even wider below, reaching 502 meters across. The sinkhole is also very deep, going down about 314 meters.

Other Sinkholes Nearby

Sima Humboldt is not the only giant hole in this area. Just 700 meters away from its edge is another enormous sinkhole called Sima Martel. In total, there are four different caves and sinkholes found on the Sarisariñama mountain.

See also

In Spanish: Cueva Sima Humboldt para niños