The Costa Rica’s Cave of Death, also known as ‘Cueva de la Muerte’ in Spanish, has gained quite a reputation as one of the most dangerous caves in the world.
Located within the Recreo Verde tourist complex in the district of Venecia, this cave’s entrance is littered with warning signs adorned with deathly skulls and crossbones, deterring any would-be adventurers from venturing beyond it. Measuring 6.5 feet deep and almost 10 feet long, this cave has claimed the lives of countless small creatures that have ventured into its depths.
Despite its ominous name and warning signs, tourists have not been able to resist the lure of the cave’s deadly beauty. The hunt for the perfect social media post has prompted many brave explorers to visit this site, ready to demonstrate its potency by holding a lit torch to its entrance. However, little do these tourists know that this cave harbors a deadly secret – high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2).
According to Belgium-based cave explorer Guy van Rentergem, who visited the site several years ago, the Cave of Death has a substantial amount of CO2 gas. In fact, the levels of this gas inside the cave are so high that it can cause unconsciousness and stop breathing almost instantaneously.
Fortunately, humans are generally safe as the cave is too small for them to enter. However, this has not been the case for snakes, birds, rodents, and other small creatures who have unwittingly stumbled into the cave in search of food, only to meet their untimely demise.
Van Rentergem further explains that this small cave emits around 30 kg of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every hour, equivalent to an average car driving 256 km.
In a year, this amounts to a staggering 263 tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to a car driving 2.2 million km or 56 times around the world. It is still unclear what the source of this gas is, but van Rentergem suspects it to be of volcanic origin.
@tonygidillini Checking out the Cave of Death at #recreoverde #foryoupage #foryourpage #nature #costarica #vacation #mothernature #zipline #fire #caveofdeath #oxygen #carbonmonoxide #cave #fastantic #wow ♬ original sound – Casa Fritaliano
During his visit to the Cave of Death, van Rentergem’s crew demonstrated its potency by holding a lit torch to the entrance. In a matter of seconds, the flame was extinguished, showcasing how CO2 displaces oxygen, making it difficult for things to burn. Due to its weight, CO2 tends to concentrate at the base of the cave, making it even more dangerous for small animals. In a 2022 study by Italian researchers, it was concluded that natural caves, like the Cave of Death, are particularly prone to high levels of CO2 accumulation, posing a hazardous condition for humans.
