Never let these morons near another natural wonder for as long as they live. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most breathtaking natural wonders that have been destroyed due to human interference.
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00:00This six-second video clip proved that the popular rock formation called the Duck Bill,
00:04pictured in hundreds of posts, did not topple naturally.
00:07Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most
00:11breathtaking natural wonders that have been destroyed due to human interference.
00:15Artwork described as urban has been spray-painted on a section of the cliff edge.
00:21Number 30. Hetch Hetchy, United States
00:24Even the most beautiful locations aren't safe from being sacrificed. In its prime,
00:28Hetch Hetchy was one of the most gorgeous valleys in the western United States.
00:32The Hetch Hetchy Valley is almost ethereal, with trees and an ambling river
00:38walled in by towering mountains of stone. But it hasn't looked like this since 1915.
00:45Consisting of meadows, forests, and bodies of water,
00:47it was an ecologically diverse area that stunned for generations. However,
00:52after a devastating earthquake and subsequent fire in 1906,
00:55officials decided to use the valley as a water source for San Francisco. The 1913
01:00Raker Act enabled the area to be flooded and dammed, permanently altering the landscape.
01:05The decision was controversial, leading to debates that continue to resonate today.
01:09It's absolutely a hard lift politically, but I think it's inevitable that we're going to
01:15take that dam down. Not in my lifetime, is my guess.
01:19Even though it can still be hiked and enjoyed,
01:21Hetch Hetchy's beauty is only a fraction of what it once was.
01:2429. Sycamore Gap Tree, England
01:27Some actions are so mindless that it's impossible to tell why they were done
01:31in the first place. Once serving as a symbol of North East England,
01:34the Sycamore Gap Tree stood proudly for over a century.
01:37Let's take a look at some of these striking images throughout the seasons.
01:41It's really easy to see why this is one of the UK's most photographed trees,
01:46and also why it picked up the award for 2016 Tree of the Year.
01:51That wasn't enough to protect it from its eventual fate. In 2023,
01:54locals awoke to see that the tree had been chopped down. It was later found to be deliberate,
01:58leading many to wonder the reason for such a needless act.
02:02It's quite upsetting that, you know, a lot of people probably got a lot of joy from it,
02:06and pictures, and taking pictures of it, and it's, um, yeah, it's such a shame that
02:12somebody's came and vandalised a beautiful part of the countryside.
02:16Two men from Cumbria have been charged with criminal damage. Whether they're found guilty
02:20or not, though, it won't erase the destruction of a national icon.
02:2328. Joshua Tree National Park, United States
02:27During the 2018 shutdown of the United States federal government, countless entities were
02:31impacted. Unlike most, Joshua Tree National Park made the bold choice to remain open with a smaller
02:37staff.
02:37Well, it seems like Joshua Tree National Park won't be closing because of the partial
02:42government shutdown. The Desert Preserve says it freed up enough money from recreational fees to
02:48stop the closure of the outdoor areas.
02:50While their intentions were to continue to provide people with a beautiful open space,
02:53the decision came back to bite them. With only eight rangers trying to supervise an
02:57enormous park, visitors had essentially free reign to do as they wished, which for some
03:01was to cause mass destruction. There were various acts of vandalism, from trees being
03:06chopped down to fires being set.
03:07The national park will be staffed, but it may not look the same as it did before the
03:12government shutdown. Tons of trash piled up, and officials warned that some irreparable
03:17damage was done to the area.
03:19The damage was so intense that a former park superintendent predicted it would take
03:23centuries to repair, all thanks to one five-week period.
03:27Number 27. Colorado National Monument, United States
03:31Ah, young love. Promposals are nothing new. For decades, teenagers have gone to extreme
03:36lengths to ask one another to the yearly dance, with some invitations even going viral.
03:41A promposal gone wrong has the internet in outrage mode.
03:45In 2018, one student proved that they can go too far after spray-painting love messages
03:49and an invitation on Colorado National Monument. The park, made up of gorgeous canyons and
03:54intricate rock formations, would have been a perfect location to ask someone to prom
03:58in person. However, the suspect caused damage that required extensive cleaning.
04:02Pictures from the monument in Fruita show three different places that have been spray-painted.
04:07The messages say, I promise to love you, and you're perfect to me,
04:11and one of them seems to be a proposal.
04:14Although officials have searched hard, to this day, the perpetrator remains uncaught.
04:18And unfortunately, it appears as though that may always be the case.
04:22Number 26. Hangzhou's Pink Grass, China
04:25This is why we can't have nice things. In fall, Mullenbergia capillaris,
04:30also known as the Heron Murray, grows a layer of vibrant pink flowers, causing it to stand out.
04:36The plant's seeds had been transported from Australia to a riverside park in the city of
04:41Hangzhou, China, in 2016. But just two years later, tourists flocked to the park, using it as
04:47the ultimate aesthetic background for their selfies. The amount of spectators visiting
04:51caused whole patches to be trampled, forcing the pink grass to be removed days after it arrived.
04:56This brought an end to what had once been an interesting way of increasing traffic in the area.
05:01Number 25. Zhangjiaidongsha, China
05:04Even the most unfathomable of natural phenomena isn't safe from human meddling. With its vibrant
05:09colors and millions of years' worth of sandstone and other minerals, Zhangjiaidongsha is one of
05:14the most unique landforms on Earth. Some areas are completely closed off to visitors. But
05:19unfortunately, that didn't stop a small group of tourists from inviting themselves in.
05:24They filmed themselves walking across the ancient scape, bragging about how they snuck in,
05:28and were wrecking the 6,000-year-old area. They were rightfully dragged online afterwards,
05:33but the damage had already been done. Although it seemed minor, a staff member revealed that
05:37it would take decades for it to heal, proving that even the smallest actions can have vast
05:42consequences. Number 24. Utah's dinosaur tracks, United States
05:47Something as simple as a fossil can be a powerful reminder of the vast life that came before us.
05:52There are multiple sites in Utah where people can observe the footprints of dinosaurs that
05:56walked there eons ago. While most would be humbled by such a sight, others proved to not be so
06:06impressed. Throughout 2018, several tracks at Red Fleet State Park were dislodged and thrown
06:12into a lake. While some pieces were recovered, others were assumed to be gone for good. This
06:16isn't the only notable dinosaur track location in Utah to be affected by human behavior. In 2022,
06:22a 112-million-year-old site was harmed after being driven over by construction vehicles.
06:29Number 23. The Senator Cypress Tree, United States
06:45You'd think an organism that stood for well over 3,000 years would be indestructible,
06:50but sometimes all it takes is one careless act. The Senator had been the oldest bald
06:55cypress tree not just in Florida, but the entire world.
07:07Reaching a staggering 125 feet, it was a proud reminder of nature's resilience.
07:13On one fateful night in 2012, all of that was wiped out when a woman ignited a garbage fire
07:19near the base. It quickly grew out of control, burning the tree from the inside out. Since the
07:24horrible incident, the Senator has been memorialized via art and renovations to the area,
07:28and it is still mourned to this day. Number 22. Lake Mead's Ancient Rock Formation,
07:39United States In recent decades,
07:41there's been more of an effort to encourage people to respect the Earth and their local
07:45natural areas. While some have taken that to heart, others still choose the path of
07:49mindless destruction. In the spring of 2024, two men were filmed pushing over rocks at the
08:06Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The formation had reportedly been formed from
08:10dunes that had existed there over 100 million years ago, only to be ruined within a span of
08:16minutes. The suspects were found and indicted, and could face up to 10 years behind bars if
08:21convicted. Number 21. Brimham Rocks, England
08:31This was the ultimate act of teenage rebellion gone horribly wrong. The Brimham Rocks site is
08:36one of the most awe-inspiring in all of England, with its foundations dating back over 300 million
08:41years. The constant erosion caused some extremely unique formations to take shape, with many
08:46seemingly defying gravity. Several are still standing today, but one in particular met a
08:51brutal, unnatural end. A group of young people were reportedly seen shoving it off a cliff that
08:55it was balanced on, causing it to shatter on the ground below. In one horrific act,
08:59eons of natural development were erased. Despite there being witnesses,
09:03the perpetrators were never caught. Number 20. Guaira Falls, Paraguay and Brazil
09:09It's kind of strange to see a deceased symbol next to a massive waterfalls entry on Wikipedia,
09:15but here we are. These stunning falls on the Paraná River roared so loudly that they could
09:20be heard from 20 miles away. Their sighs and deafening sound drew in tourists from around
09:26the world, and the falls were deeply loved by the local people. In 1973, the Itaipu Dam was
09:32announced, and the falls' days were numbered. Over the next nine years, crowds visited the
09:37area for a chance to see the falls one last time. Tragedy struck when a bridge collapsed
09:43and killed several tourists. The falls completely disappeared in 1982,
09:54much to the sadness of those who enjoyed their beauty.
09:58Number 19. Aral Sea, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan You might be wondering how an entire sea can
10:04disappear, but never underestimate the power of poorly planned farming practices. In order to grow
10:10large amounts of cotton, the Soviet government diverted the waters of the Amu Darya and the
10:14Syr Darya rivers from the Aral Sea to the desert. The sea shrank from 26,300 square miles in 1960
10:23to four small lakes totaling 6,626 square miles in 2004.
10:35The remnants of the Aral Sea are highly toxic and too salty to support many forms of life,
10:42which has partially led to the probable extinction of the Aral Trout and Syr Darya sturgeon.
10:54Additionally, the toxins have led to a tragic increase in cancer
10:58in the people who live in the region.
11:13Number 18. Kitkayes, Canada This beautiful, unique tree met its unfortunate
11:18demise at the hands of one man. The Kitkayes was a Sitka spruce that had a rare genetic mutation.
11:25The spruce's unusual golden color made it stand out among the other trees,
11:30and it was sacred to the indigenous Haida people. The golden spruce even featured in
11:35Haida mythology. In January 1997, however, forester engineer Grant Hadwin made cuts
11:41in the iconic tree as an act of protest, causing it to fall two days later.
11:47Hadwin faxed in his confession to both the media and the Haida nation.
11:51He disappeared on his way to his trial and has not been seen since.
11:56Number 17. Prometheus Tree, United States Yes, this is yet another North American
12:02tree that was cut down, but at least it was apparently an accident this time.
12:06Prometheus was a Great Basin bristlecone pine, and it was believed to be more than 4,800 years old,
12:14making it the oldest non-clonal organism known to man. In 1964, graduate student Donald R. Curry
12:21was studying ancient trees. Accounts vary as to why Curry cut and sectioned Prometheus instead
12:27of simply collecting a core sample. However, Curry claimed that he, and the United States
12:33Forest Service personnel who helped him, did not know about the tree's significance. Sadly,
12:38no matter the circumstances, all that remains of Prometheus is a very large stump.
12:44Number 16. El Dorado Ranch Park, United States Once upon a time, the only risk associated with
12:51baby showers was encountering some bad punch. But nowadays, they can cause massive wildfires
12:57that destroy thousands of acres of parklands. In September 2020, Refugio Manuel Jimenez Jr.
13:03and Angela Renee Jimenez decided to reveal their baby's gender with a smoking pyrotechnical device.
13:10The device smoked a little too much and started a fire. The blaze spread over more than 22,000
13:16acres and resulted in the death of firefighter Charlie Morton.
13:20If you want to have a gender reveal party, maybe stick with pink or blue cupcakes,
13:37instead of involuntary manslaughter and massive destruction.
13:41He's fighting a fire that was started because of a smoke bomb. That's the only reason he's there.
13:45Number 15. The Nazca Lines, Peru From here, it might not look like much.
13:51Because to really see the Nazca Lines, you need a completely different perspective.
13:56The beautiful and culturally significant Nazca Lines survived two millennia of weather,
14:02but even they could not escape the stupidity of people. The UNESCO World Heritage Site covers
14:07a large area, so it is, in theory, pretty difficult to miss. Unfortunately, in 2018,
14:13a truck driver still managed to ruin part of the important site. Jair Jesus Flores Vigo drove over
14:20a portion of the lines, destroying some of the images. Along with a much smaller but still
14:26significant act of vandalism by activists, this encouraged more stringent security around the area.
14:32Number 14. Big Major Cay Pigs, The Bahamas What's better than serene, beautiful beach time?
14:39Serene, beautiful beach time with sweet, adorable pigs, of course. The famous Big Major Cay Pigs
14:45are so friendly and trusting that they'll even swim with tourists, making for wonderful memories
14:50and gorgeous pictures. Unfortunately, the flood of visitors has also resulted in pollution
15:02and overly crowded sands. In 2017, over half a dozen pigs were found dead. Tourists were blamed
15:08for feeding the pigs inappropriate food, including rum, and throwing food into the sand, which the
15:14pigs ingested along with the tasty morsels. Thankfully, the remaining pigs seem to be doing
15:19well, but make sure you always refrain from feeding wildlife, no matter how cute it is.
15:25Number 13. Galapagos Islands Ecosystem, Ecuador Ever since humans first started visiting these
15:37breathtakingly beautiful islands, they've been causing problems. The flora and fauna of the
15:42Galapagos have developed in unique ways, but this sadly makes them vulnerable when it comes to
15:47competition. Humans have been intentionally and unintentionally introducing invasive species of
15:52plants and animals to this beautiful archipelago for centuries. Some of these invasive species have
16:13caused quite a few problems for the native ones, including habitat loss and food competition.
16:18Thankfully, efforts have been introduced in an attempt to reduce and reverse the negative impacts.
16:38Number 12. Torres del Paine Forests, Chile Nicknamed the Crown Jewel of Patagonia,
16:45this UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is a gorgeous and unique area. Home to endangered species and
16:51stunning views, Torres del Paine National Park draws in hundreds of thousands of visitors a year.
16:57Unfortunately, not every visitor is as responsible as they should be. This national park suffered
17:03from two large fires six years apart. The first in 2005 was caused by a tourist's overturned gas
17:10stove, and it burned about 15,000 hectares. The second, larger fire, burned 17,000 hectares and
17:17was caused by a tourist lighting toilet paper on fire. Both fires killed thousands of animals
17:23and caused massive damage. The next time you go camping, make sure you heed Smokey Bear's advice.
17:29Number 11. Buangkok Lake, Cambodia The destruction of any natural wonder is
17:38tragic, but it's even worse when it has an enormous human cost as well. This lake's shores
17:43in Phnom Penh were home to thousands of peoples who depended on its waters for food and money
17:49from tourism. In 2007, the city's government announced the sale of the lake and its surrounding
17:54area to a property development firm. The developers pumped mud and sand into the lake, transforming it
18:00from a sprawling body of water to a puddle. Thousands of families were displaced or evicted
18:06from their homes due to this horrific undertaking. Number 10. Devil's Hole Pupfish, United States
18:13A critically endangered species of pupfish only lives in Devil's Hole in Nevada. They're so
18:20valued as unique that they spawned Save the Pupfish bumper stickers in the 1960s and 70s.
18:27This led to the U.S. government to spend millions of dollars to preserve them.
18:31In April 2016, three men broke into the secured area around Devil's Hole. They destroyed
18:37surveillance cameras, and one man even jumped into the hole, smashing pupfish eggs during
18:43their peak spawning season. The vandalism led to the death of one of the valued pupfish,
18:48lowering that spring's population from 115 to 114. Ultimately, the vandals were charged with
18:55violating the Endangered Species Act, and security around the pupfish habitat was further heightened.
19:02Number 9. Uluru and its Rare Shrimp, Australia Uluru is an iconic monolith that stands as one
19:09of the most recognizable aspects of Australian geography and as a sacred landmark to the
19:15Aboriginal people of the area. When tourists began flocking to the area in the 1930s, some of them
19:21made a huge negative environmental impact. Visitors climbed the sacred sandstone rock
19:27against the wishes of the local Inangu, and even relieved themselves on the site.
19:32You want to zip? Take it out. Fire away. Remember to aim. It's very important.
19:38By the 1970s, human waste was blamed for eliminating a rare species of shrimp
19:43that lived exclusively on what's also known as Ayers Rock. Over the years,
19:48there were even more incidents of tourist indecency, including a woman removing much
19:53of her clothing upon reaching the top of Uluru. In 2019, a ban on climbing Uluru
20:00finally went into effect to help preserve the site.
20:03Number 8. Paracel Archipelago, South China Sea Also known as the Shisha Islands,
20:10the Paracel Archipelago are in a disputed area in the South China Sea.
20:15Their stunningly clear waters are home to many rare sea creatures and colourful coral reefs.
20:21When the islands were opened up to tourism and cruises in 2013, the wildlife immediately
20:27suffered. Tourists plucked ocean animals from their homes, including lobsters and rare endangered
20:32giant clams, and ate them. They even broke off pieces of coral to take home as souvenirs.
20:38While many of these actions are illegal, that didn't prevent ignorant tourists
20:42from posting about their crimes on social media.
20:46Number 7. Racetrack Playa, United States Despite its name, this gorgeous dry lake
20:52in Death Valley is not designed for high-speed vehicles. Its name comes from the mysterious
20:57sailing stones that leave behind noticeable trails across the level, pristine surface.
21:03Racetrack Playa's beautiful and unusual landscape was vandalized in 2016 when a driver tore through
21:10the fragile area and left behind 10 miles of ruts. The driver spun all over the dry lake,
21:20cutting swerves and doughnuts all over the ground. This blatant act of vandalism caused
21:26significant noticeable and long-lasting damage to the picturesque surface crust of Racetrack Playa.
21:33Number 6. Isla de la Poraza, Spain While the beautiful Isla de la Poraza
21:44is uninhabited, tourists still frequent it while vacationing in the area. In fact,
21:49some holidaymakers have made it a rite of passage to try to make it to the island while under the
21:54influence, despite police warnings. In 2015, two teenagers were exploring the island.
22:00In a grand and stupid move, they dropped a lit cigarette. It caused an enormous blaze
22:06across the island. The fire tore through several acres and required two helicopters carrying water
22:12to douse the flames. Although the incident was treated as an accident,
22:16it does serve as a testament to the foolishness of some tourists.
22:21Number 5. Cliffs of Moher, Ireland The world-famous Cliffs of Moher are among
22:27Europe's most stunning natural wonders and are gorgeous on their own. However, in 2013,
22:33a group of artists apparently thought they could one-up one of Mother Nature's most beautiful
22:38pieces of art by adding to it. Much to the dismay of geologists, they graffitied the highest point
22:44of the cliffs. As if it were not obvious enough that these vandals were not the brightest stars
22:49in the sky, they recorded themselves in the act. They also graffitied several other sites and
22:55posted every act of vandalism on their social media before deactivating their accounts.
23:09Number 4. Duck Bill, United States Oregon's Duck Bill was a unique sandstone hoodoo
23:15that was iconic on the titular state's coast and attracted many tourists every single year.
23:21The Duck Bill survived decades of winds and tides from the Pacific
23:25to serve as a scenic spot for visitors. It could not, however, survive a group of teenage vandals.
23:32They toppled the one-of-a-kind hoodoo after their friend allegedly broke a leg on the rock
23:37formation. The group claimed they were performing a service to the public, despite several warning
23:47signs and the area around the Duck Bill being surrounded by a fence. Although the vandals were
23:52filmed in the act, they were never caught. Number 3. The Tree of Tenere, Niger
24:07Once deemed the globe's most isolated tree, this acacia was thought to be the only tree for more
24:12than 250 miles. It was considered an iconic part of Niger's landscape, especially recognised as a
24:20landmark on caravan routes through that area of the Sahara Desert, and it was even included on maps.
24:26Despite being the only obstacle for literally miles, even this isolated tree could not escape
24:32unscathed from ridiculous human behaviour. In 1973, the tree was inexplicably hit by a
24:40truck driver. Their actions removed an important feature from Niger's landscape. While a memorial
24:46sculpture now stands in its place, the tree can never truly be replaced. Number 2. Utah's Goblin
24:53Hoodoos, United States Camping among centuries of geological history seems like a dream come true,
25:01but that dream can come crashing down, literally, when morons get involved. One of Utah's most
25:08memorable geographic features are its ancient and giant mushroom-like hoodoos. In 2013, a Boy Scout
25:16troop was visiting the magical and hoodoo-filled Goblin Valley State Park. According to the troop
25:25leaders, however, there were goblin hoodoos that seemed too dangerous. Fearing that one of them
25:30could crush someone, the troop leaders toppled the supposedly threatening ancient formation.
25:36People will say, you guys are Boy Scout leaders, you should know better.
25:39They could have easily just reported the potential danger and stayed away from it.
25:43Instead, they filmed and posted their destructive behaviour and then were subsequently removed from
25:49their leadership roles. It's all about saving lives. They posted their clip on YouTube.
25:54Too bad restoring the goblin hoodoos isn't that easy. Before we continue, be sure to subscribe
26:00to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos. You have the option to
26:05be notified for occasional videos or all of them. If you're on your phone, make sure you go into
26:10your settings and switch on notifications. 1. Raja Ampat Reefs, New Guinea, Indonesia
26:18There's not much time left.
26:19The incredible Raja Ampat Reefs, sometimes called the underwater Amazon, are among the most
26:25important ecosystems in the world because they contain the most marine life diversity on Earth.
26:31Because of their beauty and amazing coral reef biodiversity, they attract quite a few visitors
26:37that, unfortunately, included one particularly destructive cruise ship.
26:49The ship ran aground at low tide and caused irreversible damage
26:53to the important ecosystem. Over 17,000 square feet of the reef were damaged.
27:00The damage was determined to be worth nearly $19 million and recovery will take decades.
27:12With the worldwide decline of coral reefs, this was considered a huge global blow
27:17to marine wildlife. Which natural wonders would you like to visit? Let us know in the comments.
27:23As Hetch Hetchy Reservoir celebrates its 100th birthday, the fight to get rid of it is alive and
27:28well. Did you enjoy this video? Check out these other clips from WatchMojo,
27:33and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.