"Lost world" sought in Venezuela

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33452, 6 February 1974, Page 15

"Lost world" sought in Venezuela

f\'.Z P.A -Reuter—Copyright) 1 CARACAS, Feb. 5. | A team of 11 explorers will leave today in search of a “lost ■world,” deep in the Venezuelan jungle, where it is believed that life—and perhaps even some species of animals' —have not changed! since the dawn of time. One of the team, which! will leave from the Palo Negro Air Force base 90) miles from Caracas, is an English climber, Mr David Nott, aged 45, from Liverpool. who once taught at the Eskdale Outboard Bound School and is a veteran of!

OCIIUUI ailU io a VCLVICIH VII. expeditions to the South) American Andes. This time he and his com- j panions, headed by Dr Charles Brewer Carias of the! Venezuelan Natural Science! Society, will be climbing! downwards—to the bottom) of two gigantic holes some) 1,000 feet deep. They lie deep in the Ve- ' nezueian jungle in Bolivar state near the frontier with i Brazil. Among the ex- ) pedition’s sponsors are the ) Venezuelan Air Force, which • will fly them in and out in I military aircraft and jpro- ( vide helicopters at the site, , the Organisation of Ameri-) can States 0. A. S.) and the' Public Works Ministry. (.

! The mysterious holes, visI ible from the air on flights ■ south from Caracas, are sur- ,! rounded by dense jungle fo- . liage. ) Their almost sheer slopes 'are covered all the way to i the bottom with undergrowth. ) Scientists believe that the two craters, about a mile j apart, are connected by a II subterranean blow-hole and I that they may harbour Hora ''and fauna long extinct in ■|other parts of the world. . While Mr Nott and Dr i Brewer Carias spend five i days exploring the bottoms of the craters, other memfa e r s of the ex- ! pedition—including a British ! orchid specialist, Dr G. Duni sterville, and an American ; I botanist. Dr Julian Steyer-

mark, will investigate the) ; surrounding plateau. An Air Force helicopter •will lower the two explor-l eers to the edge of the first! ; crater, returning each day to! > pick up radio messages from ■ the pair. Mr Nott and Dr Brewer : Carias hope to bring back : specimens of plant and even i animal life from the craters, I believed to be preserved uni changed in humidity and i climate possibly since man first appeared on the earth. The expedition was origi- > nally planned for January ; 15, but preparations took I ■ longer than expected. It is unlikely that any re- i i port on their findings will ' • reach the outside world until ; i they return to Caracas in ■ about four weeks. I