COUNTRY United States - New Mexico

NAME Carlsbad Caverns National Park

IUCN MANAGEMENT CATEGORY

II (National Park)

Natural World Heritage Site - Criteria i, iii

BIOGEOGRAPHICAL PROVINCE 1.09.07 (Chihuahuan)

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION Located in the foothills of the Guadalupe Mountains, in southwestern Eddy county, New Mexico. The park has an irregular boundary, the entrance of which is accessible from U.S. Highway 62/180. The nearest large towns include El Paso, Juarez and Albuquerque. 32°10'N, 104°23'W

DATE AND HISTORY OF ESTABLISHMENT In 1923, an area totalling 291ha was designated a national monument by Presidential Proclamation No. 1679. These boundaries were enlarged in 1930 when the area was redesignated a national park by the U.S. Congress under Public Law 216 (46 stat. 279) (16 U.S.C. Sec. 407 c). Further boundary adjustments were made between 1930 and 1963 and on 10 November 1978, public law 95-625 was enacted, designating 13,406ha as wilderness. In 1993, Public Law 103-169, the Lechuguilla Cave Protection Act, was passed by Congress withdrawing 2,541ha of public land along the northern boundary from mineral leasing, exploration and development (USDI-NPS, 1994). Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1995.

AREA 18,926ha

LAND TENURE Federal government owns 18,788ha, whilst 137ha is under private ownership.

ALTITUDE Ranges from 1,097m to 1,935m

PHYSICAL FEATURES The park overlies a segment of the 560km long Permian fossil reef (Capitan Reef) which surrounds the Delaware Basin of western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. Several deep canyons have been eroded in the southwestern trending reef revealing cross sections of other geological formations. Subterranean formations have also been exposed as an extensive cavern system has developed within the 610m thick reef complex. The most notable example of this can be found within Lechuguilla Cave where five formations namely Yates, Seven Rivers, Queen, Capitan Reef and Goat Seep have been identified. Fossils preserved within the exposed rock formations include bryozoans, pelecypods, gastropods, echinoderms, brachiopods, fusulinds, sponges, trilobites and algae. Unlike a large proportion of caves which are the product of carbonic acid dissolution, Carlsbad Caverns have developed as hydrogen sulphide gas from underlying oil and gas deposits seeped upwards and combined with fresh water to form sulphuric acid which haseroded the limestone. Carlsbad Cavern is the largest of 81 known caves within the park, whilst Lechuguilla Cave is not only the deepest (477m) and longest (133km), but contains the largest collection of hydromagnesite balloon-like formations and subaqueous helictite formations. Gypsum has been deposited in a variety of forms throughout many of the caves and ranges from thin crusts to beds of more than 30m thick. Calcite speleothems include stalactites, stalagmites and columns and sulphate mineral deposits (USDI-NPS, 1994).

CLIMATE The semi-arid climate is one of seasonal extremes with an average rainfall of 360mm and a mean annual temperature of 17.3°C.

VEGETATION The flora typifies that of the northern portion of the Chihuahuan Desert. Some 800 plant species have been identified ranging from drought resistant shrubs such as creosote bush Larrea tridentata and prickly pear Opuntia spp. to walnut Juglans spp., hackberry Celtis spp., oak Quercus spp. and soapberry trees Sapindus spp. in the canyons. Coniferous forest with pine Pinus edulis, juniper Juniperus deppeana and J. pinchotii is found at higher elevations. The park also contains the following four globally threatened plants: shining coral root Hexalectris nitida (R), sneed pincushion cactus Escobaria sneedii var. sneedii (E), Lee pincushion cactus E. leei (V) and Lloyd's hedgehog cactus Echinocereus lloydii (V). Other plants include giant helleborine orchid Epipactis gigantea, button cactus Epithelantha micromeris, Guadalupe jewelflower Streptanthus sparsiflorus, Havard's gumweed Grindelia havardii and resurrection plant Selaginella pilifera.

A total of 94 fungi species from over 30 genera have been identified from Lechuguilla Cave, and many other species have been recorded throughout other caves.

FAUNA A total of 64 mammal, 331 bird and 44 herpetofauna species have been recorded. An additional 28 species of reptiles and amphibians have tentatively been identified. Of the 18 identified bat species, Mexican free-tailed bat Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana is the most notable. The population of this seasonal inhabitant has been estimated at one million individuals. Other mammals include black footed ferret Mustela nigripes (E), mule deer Odocoileus hemionus, grey fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus, coyote Canis latrans, bobcat Felis rufus and occasionlly puma F. concolor. Avifauna include golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos, bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus, cave swallow Petrochelidon fulva, loggerhead shrike Lanius ludovicianus, scaled quail Callipepla squamata, roadrunner Geococcyx californina and great horned owl Bubo virginianus. Of the reptiles, three species of rattlesnake Crotalus spp. are known to occur (USDI-NPS, 1994).

An invertebrate inventory is available (USDI-NPS, 1994).

CULTURAL HERITAGE Human occupation of the park area began with the arrival of palaeo Indian people around 12,000 B.C. These were followed by Archaic hunters and gathers who settled in the region about 6000 B.C. and remained until 800 A.D. Pictographs left by the latter are found in several park caves including the profusely decorated Painted Grotto, Upper Painted Grotto and Slaughter Canyon Cave. The period between 800 A.D. and 1541 was one of adaptation. Pottery sherds and metates, found at several of the park's 125 archaeological sites, indicate that Indians living within the Guadalupe mountains region were influenced by other cultures such as the Jornado Mogollon to the west. The Apaches began moving into the area prior to the arrival of the Spanish (USDI-NPS, 1994).

LOCAL HUMAN POPULATION Land surrounding the park's boundaries is primarily used for ranching (USDI-NPS, 1993).

VISITORS AND VISITOR FACILITIES Carlsbad Caverns has been attracting visitors since the 1880s. In 1994, approximately half of the park's 617,087 visitors came during June, July and August (J. Thorsell, pers. comm., 1995). Facilities include a visitor centre, trails, parking, amphitheatres and picnic facilities.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND FACILITIES Geologists have been studying the reef for many years through the cave passages and canyons. Recent biological research in Lechuguilla Cave has led to the discovery of unusual micro-organisms in pools and hydroaerosols in the cave air, suspected lithotrophic bacteria which may derive metabolic energy from sulphur, manganese, and iron and ecosystems dependent upon these autotrophic bacteria (Davis et al., 1990; Cunningham, 1991; Northup et al., in press). Ongoing research is looking into potential medical applications of these micro-organisms. The discovery of the world's largest and most diverse collection of bacterially assisted speleothems found within this cave has prompted calls for the establishment of a National Cave Research Institute nearby (USDI-NPS, 1994).

CONSERVATION VALUE Carlsbad Cavern National Park contains and preserves both physical and biological formations which are of great aesthetic and scientific value and encompasses one of the few protected portions of the northern Chiluahuan Desert ecosystem. The park is noted for having the largest cave chamber, the "Big Room", in North America. Lechuguilla cave is the deepest and third longest known limestone cave in the U.S. and the fifth longest in the world. Other notable caves features include one of the world's tallest columns measuring over 32m high in Ogle Cave, and over 500 Archaic style pictographs spanning at least three cultural periods, pottery shards and other Indian artefacts in Slaughter Canyon. This latter cave is also thought to be one of the oldest examples of deep cave art in North America. Remains from the prehistoric Basketmaker era and historic Mescalero Apache Indian era have been found throughout the park, along with palaeontological remains of extinct Pleistocene era fauna (USDI-NPS, 1994).

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT The park is administered by the National Park Service and on-site management is the responsibility of the superintendent. The caves have been allocated one of six management categories. Category one can be further subdivided into highly developed caves (such as parts of Carlsbad Caverns) which provide visitors with maximum comfort and convenience, and minimally developed caves (New Cave for example) which provide relatively easy access with minimal modification of cave resources. Categories two to six range from undeveloped caves, which can only be visited when accompanied by a designated National Park Service trip leader, to those closed to general use as they contain paleontological, archaeological or other resources of specieal scentific value. Management actions to reduce human impact on the caves have included introducing guided tours, rather than self-guided tours, in the most delicate and fragile areas, use of security alarms to detect movement off trails, and increased ranger presence during the tourist season. The NPS embarked on preparation of a new management plan in 1992 which is due to be completed in 1995. It also plans to acquire the land (137ha) under private ownership (USDI-NPS, 1993).

MANAGEMENT CONSTRAINTS During the first 25 years of this century, the entrancechambers of some caves were mined for bat guano. Adverse effects were minimal since it was a small operation using mostly hand held tools. Current disturbances include permanent damage to speleothems which are often either broken or become dulled from dirt and repeated touching. Other human impacts to the caves include graffiti, wondering off-trail, the accumulation of organic litter which causes increased bacterial growth and the pollution of cave pools by coins and other litter. The use of lighting for tourist purposes has resulted in the growth of algae, moss, fungi and vascular plants in some locations. The cave moisture content has been greatly disrupted through the use of elevator shafts. McLean (1971) reported that each year approximately 100,000 litres of water are lost from the caves in this way.

A decline in the bat population has been associated with the former use of DDT which has been found in residual quantities in surrounding agricultural land and continues to be used in Mexico, where the bats winter. The colony is also affected by attempts to eradicate them in Mexcio, where bats are perceived to be a threat to other animals and humans. The park's northern, southern and eastern boundaries are potentially threatened by oil and gas exploration, and the construction of transmission and storage facilities. Grazing by trespassing livestock, invasion by exotic barbary sheep and hunting of puma also occur (USDI-NPS, 1994).

STAFF Eighty-five permanent and 40 temporary employees (USDI-NPS, 1994).

BUDGET The operating budget for the 1995 fiscal year is $4 million (J. Thorsell, pers. comm., 1995).

LOCAL ADDRESSES

United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 18th and C Street N.W., P.O. Box 37127, Washington, D.C. 20013-7127.

Superintendent, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, 3225 National Parks Highway, Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220.

REFERENCES

Cunningham, K.I. (1991). Preliminary report on the organic and inorganic composition of colored corrosion residues, Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico. National Speleological Society News 49(8): 252-254. (Unseen).

Davis, D.G., Palmer, M.V. and Palmer, A.N. (1990). Extraordinary subaqueous speleothems in Lechuguilla Cave, New Mexico. National Speleological Society Bulletin 52: 70-86.

Kerbo, R. (1991). Lechuguilla Cave Action Plan Carlsbad Caverns National Park. 6 pp.

McLean, J.S. (1971). The microclimate in Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report (May). (Unseen).

Northup, D.E., Carr, D.L., Crocker, M.T., Cunningham, K.I.m Hawkins, L.K. and Welbourn, W.C. (in press). Biological investigations in Lechuguilla Cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park. National Speleological Bulletin 55(1): 26 pp. (Unseen).

USDI-NPS (1994). Carlsbad Caverns National Park World Heritage Nomination. United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service. 28 pp.

USDI-NPS (1993). Carlsbad Caverns National Park Statement for management. United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service. 37 pp.

USDI-NPS (1989). Cave management plan for Carlsbad Caverns National Park. United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service. 19 pp.

A comprehensive bibliography is available in the World Heritage nomination (USDI-NPS, 1994).

DATE March 1995, reviewed June 1995