How a discarded Cheetos bag disrupted a New Mexico cave ecosystem

A visitor’s discarded Cheetos bag disrupted the fragile ecosystem inside Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico in 2023. The snack softened in the cave’s high humidity, encouraging fungal growth and attracting insects, mites and spiders. Park rangers removed the food residue and mould, using the incident to highlight the environmental impact of littering.