Top 20 Natural Wonders Ruined by Morons

Paraguay & Brazil It’s kind of strange to see a deceased symbol next to a massive waterfall’s entry on Wikipedia, but here we are. These stunning falls on the Paraná River roared so loudly that they could be heard from 20 miles away. Their size and deafening sound drew in tourists from around the world, and the falls were deeply loved by local people. In 1973, the Itaipu Dam was announced, and the falls’ days were numbered. Over the next nine years, crowds visited the area for a chance to see the falls one last time. Tragedy struck when a bridge collapsed and killed several tourists. The falls completely disappeared in 1982, much to the sadness of those who enjoyed their beauty.

Kazakhstan & Uzbekistan You might be wondering how an entire sea can disappear, but never underestimate the power of poorly planned farming practices. In order to grow large amounts of cotton, the Soviet government diverted the waters of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers from the Aral Sea to the desert. The sea shrank from 26,300 square miles in 1960 to four small lakes totaling 6,626 square miles in 2004. The remnants of the Aral Sea are highly toxic and too salty to support many forms of life, which has partially led to the probable extinction of the Aral trout and Syr Darya sturgeon. Additionally, the toxins have led to a tragic increase in cancer in the people who live in the region.

Canada This beautiful, unique tree met its unfortunate demise at the hands of one man. The Kiidk’yaas was a Sitka spruce that had a rare genetic mutation. The spruce’s unusual golden color made it stand out among the other trees, and it was sacred to the indigenous Haida people. The Golden Spruce even featured in Haida mythology. In January 1997 however, forest engineer Grant Hadwin made cuts in the iconic tree as an act of protest - causing it to fall two days later. Hadwin faxed in his confession to both the media and the Haida nation. He disappeared on his way to his trial and has not been seen since.

United States Yes, this is yet another North American tree that was cut down, but at least it was apparently an accident this time. Prometheus was a Great Basin bristlecone pine, and it was believed to be more than 4,800 years old, making it the oldest non-clonal organism known to man. In 1964, graduate student Donald R. Currey was studying ancient trees. Accounts vary as to why Currey cut and sectioned Prometheus instead of simply collecting a core sample. However, Currey claimed he and the United States Forest Service personnel who helped him did not know about the tree’s significance. Sadly, no matter the circumstances, all that remains of Prometheus is a very large stump.

#16: El Dorado Ranch Park

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Top 10 Natural Wonders Ruined by Morons

United States Once upon a time, the only risk associated with baby showers was encountering some bad punch, but nowadays, they can cause massive wildfires that destroy thousands of acres of parklands. In September 2020, Refugio Manuel Jimenez, Jr. and Angela Renee Jimenez decided to reveal their baby’s gender with a smoking pyrotechnical device. The device smoked a little too much and started a fire. The blaze spread over more than 22,000 acres and resulted in the death of firefighter Charlie Morton. If you want to have a gender reveal party, maybe stick with pink or blue cupcakes instead of involuntary manslaughter and massive destruction.

#15: The Nazca Lines

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Peru The beautiful and culturally significant Nazca Lines survived two millennia of weather, but even they could not escape the stupidity of people. The UNESCO World Heritage site covers a large area, so it is, in theory, pretty difficult to miss. Unfortunately, in 2018 a truck driver still managed to ruin part of the important site. Jainer Jesus Flores Vigo drove over a portion of the lines, destroying some of the images. Along with a much smaller but still significant act of vandalism by activists, this encouraged more stringent security around the area.

#14: Big Major Cay Pigs

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The Bahamas What’s better than serene, beautiful beach time? Serene, beautiful beach time with sweet, adorable pigs, of course. The famous Big Major Cay pigs are so friendly and trusting that they’ll even swim with tourists, making for wonderful memories and gorgeous pictures. Unfortunately, the flood of visitors has also resulted in pollution and overly crowded sands. In 2017, over half a dozen pigs were found dead; tourists were blamed for feeding the pigs inappropriate food, including rum, and throwing food into the sand, which the pigs ingested along with the tasty morsels. Thankfully, the remaining pigs seem to be doing well, but make sure you always refrain from feeding wildlife, no matter how cute it is.

Ecuador Ever since humans first started visiting these breathtakingly beautiful islands, they’ve been causing problems. The flora and fauna of the Galapagos have developed in unique ways, but this sadly makes them vulnerable when it comes to competition. Humans have been intentionally and unintentionally introducing invasive species of plants and animals to this beautiful archipelago for centuries. Some of these invasive species have caused quite a few problems for the native ones, including habitat loss and food competition. Thankfully, efforts have been introduced in an attempt to reduce and reverse the negative impacts.

Chile Nicknamed the “crown jewel of Patagonia,” this UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is a gorgeous and unique area. Home to endangered species and stunning views, Torres del Paine National Park draws in hundreds of thousands of visitors a year. Unfortunately, not every visitor is as responsible as they should be. This national park suffered from two large fires six years apart. The first, in 2005, was caused by a tourist’s overturned gas stove, and it burned about 15,000 hectares. The second, larger fire, burned 17,000 hectares and was caused by a tourist lighting toilet paper on fire. Both fires killed thousands of animals and caused massive damage. The next time you go camping, make sure you heed Smokey Bear’s advice.

Cambodia The destruction of any natural wonder is tragic, but it’s even worse when it has an enormous human cost as well. This lake’s shores in Phnom Penh were home to thousands of people who depended on its waters for food and money from tourism. In 2007, the city’s government announced the sale of the lake and its surrounding area to a property development firm. The developers pumped mud and sand into the lake, transforming it from a sprawling body of water to a puddle. Thousands of families were displaced or evicted from their homes due to this horrific undertaking.

United States A critically endangered species of pupfish only lives in Devils Hole in Nevada. They’re so valued as unique that they spawned “Save the Pupfish” bumper stickers in the 1960s and 70s. This led the US government to spend millions of dollars to preserve them. In April 2016, three men broke into the secured area around Devils Hole. They destroyed surveillance cameras, and one man even jumped into the hole, smashing pupfish eggs during their peak spawning season. The vandalism led to the death of one of the valued pupfish, lowering that spring’s population from 115 to 114. Ultimately, the vandals were charged with violating the Endangered Species Act, and security around the pupfish habitat was further heightened.

Australia Uluru is an iconic monolith that stands as one of the most recognizable aspects of Australian geography and as a sacred landmark to the Aboriginal people of the area. When tourists began flocking to the area in the 1930s, some of them made a huge negative environmental impact. Visitors climbed the sacred sandstone rock against the wishes of the local Aṉangu and even relieved themselves on the site By the 1970s, human waste was blamed for eliminating a rare species of shrimp that lived exclusively on what’s also known as Ayers Rock. Over the years, there were even more incidents of tourist indecency, including a woman removing much of her clothing upon reaching the top of Uluru. In 2019, a ban on climbing Uluru finally went into effect to help preserve the site.

South China Sea Also known as the Xisha Islands, the Paracel Archipelago are in a disputed area in the South China Sea. Their stunningly clear waters are home to many rare sea creatures and colorful coral reefs. When the islands were opened up to tourism and cruises in 2013, the wildlife immediately suffered. Tourists plucked ocean animals from their homes, including lobsters and rare endangered giant clams, and ate them. They even broke off pieces of coral to take home as souvenirs. While many of these actions are illegal, that didn’t prevent ignorant tourists from posting about their crimes on social media.

United States Despite its name, this gorgeous dry lake in Death Valley is not designed for high-speed vehicles. Its name comes from the mysterious sailing stones that leave behind noticeable trails across the level, pristine surface. Racetrack Playa’s beautiful and unusual landscape was vandalized in 2016 when a driver tore through the fragile area and left behind 10 miles of ruts. The driver spun all over the dry lake, cutting swerves and donuts all over the ground. This blatant act of vandalism caused significant, noticeable and long-lasting damage to the picturesque surface crust of Racetrack Playa.

Spain While the beautiful Isla de Sa Porrassa is uninhabited, tourists still frequent it while vacationing in the area. In fact, some holidaymakers have made it a rite of passage to try to make it to the island while under the influence, despite police warnings. In 2015, two teenagers were exploring the island. In a grand and stupid move, they dropped a lit cigarette. It caused an enormous blaze across the island. The fire tore through several acres and required two helicopters carrying water to douse the flames. Although the incident was treated as an accident, it does serve as a testament to the foolishness of some tourists.

Ireland The world-famous Cliffs of Moher are among Europe’s most stunning natural wonders and are gorgeous on their own. However, in 2013, a group of artists apparently thought they could one-up one of Mother Nature’s most beautiful pieces of art by adding onto it. Much to the dismay of geologists, they graffitied the highest point of the cliffs. As if it were not obvious enough that these vandals were not the brightest stars in the sky, they recorded themselves in the act. They also graffitied several other sites and posted every act of vandalism on their social media before deactivating their accounts.

United States Oregon's Duckbill was a unique sandstone hoodoo that was iconic on the titular state’s coast and attracted many tourists every single year. The Duckbill survived decades of winds and tides from the Pacific to serve as a scenic spot for visitors. It could not, however, survive a group of teenage vandals. They toppled the one-of-a-kind hoodoo after their friend allegedly broke a leg on the rock formation. The group claimed they were performing a service to the public, despite several warning signs and the area around the Duckbill being surrounded by a fence. Although the vandals were filmed in the act, they were never caught.

#3: The Tree of Ténéré

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Niger Once deemed the globe’s most isolated tree, this acacia was thought to be the only tree for more than 250 miles. It was considered an iconic part of Niger’s landscape, especially recognized as a landmark on caravan routes through that area of the Sahara Desert. And it even was included on maps. Despite being the only obstacle for literally miles, even this isolated tree could not escape unscathed from ridiculous human behavior. In 1973, the tree was inexplicably hit by a truck driver. Their actions removed an important feature from Niger’s landscape. While a memorial sculpture now stands in its place, the tree can never truly be replaced.

United States Camping among centuries of geological history seems like a dream come true. But that dream can come crashing down, literally, when morons get involved. One of Utah’s most memorable geographic features are its ancient and giant mushroom-like hoodoos. In 2013, a Boy Scout troop was visiting the magical and hoodoo-filled Goblin Valley State Park. According to the troop leaders, however, there were goblin hoodoos that seemed too dangerous. Fearing that one of them could crush someone, the troop leaders toppled the supposedly threatening ancient formation. They could’ve easily just reported the potential danger and stayed away from it. Instead, they filmed and posted their destructive behavior and then were subsequently removed from their leadership roles. Too bad restoring the goblin hoodoos isn’t that easy.

New Guinea, Indonesia The incredible Raja Ampat reefs, sometimes called the Underwater Amazon, are among the most important ecosystems in the world because they contain the most marine life diversity on Earth. Because of their beauty and amazing coral reef biodiversity, they attract quite a few visitors that unfortunately, included one particularly destructive cruise ship. The ship ran aground at low tide and caused irreversible damage to the important ecosystem. Over 17 000 square feet of the reef were damaged. The damage was determined to be worth nearly $19 million, and recovery will take decades. With the worldwide decline of coral reefs, this was considered a huge global blow to marine wildlife.