Bashful elephant
Encyclopedia
The Bashful elephant is the name given to a small stalagmite
in Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
, that has grown a bulbous top with stalactite
s hanging off creating "legs." Its shape gives the impression that it is facing away from the viewer.
Stalagmite
A stalagmite is a type of speleothem that rises from the floor of a limestone cave due to the dripping of mineralized solutions and the deposition of calcium carbonate. This stalagmite formation occurs only under certain pH conditions within the underground cavern. The corresponding formation on...
in Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, that has grown a bulbous top with stalactite
Stalactite
A stalactite , "to drip", and meaning "that which drips") is a type of speleothem that hangs from the ceiling of limestone caves. It is a type of dripstone...
s hanging off creating "legs." Its shape gives the impression that it is facing away from the viewer.