Scientists have discovered a new blue hole off the coast of Mexico in Chetumal Bay, which is believed to be a mysterious space underwater that is very deep and full of plant and animal life.
The blue hole is called Taam Ja, which means “deep water” in Mayan, and has a depth of 900.2 feet (274.4 metres), making it the second-deepest blue hole in the world after Dragon Hole or Longdong off the coast of China, which has a depth of 987 feet (300.89 metres).
The discovery of Taam Ja was based on information provided by local fishermen, and the observation and survey were conducted in 2021, with the findings published in Frontiers in Marine Science.
The researchers from Colegio de la Frontera Sur used echo-sounding to determine the depth and scuba diving to measure upper depths.
The researchers said that “Taam ja has a nearly circular shape at its surface and steep sides with slopes of more than 80 degrees that form a large conic structure, adding that the walls of the blue hole are covered by a fine-grained layer and coated by brown algal biofilms — slippery communities of algae that bind together to survive.”
In their paper, the researchers also pointed out that due to its close proximity to the coasts of Mexico and Belize, the discovery of this blue hole could attract both local and foreign visitors. They also noted that the local population is currently unaware of the TJBH’s existence.
