Photo of the Day - Bird Nest Soup Caves

Gomantong caves are known from the stunning BBC's Planet Earth nature document. The caves consist of 16 separate halls, which all form a special ecosystem. Over 2 million bats are hanging below the highest parts of the cave roof to fly out for food before dusk. Guana from these bats gives a habitat and nutrition for millions and millions cockroaches, worms and land-dwelling crabs. Specialised mammal (can't remember the name) is feeding on the worms. Most importantly, at least for the Chinese and Malay's, these caves suppost huge populations of swiflets (suom. paasky), which are building nests from their saliva. The Chinese find these nests extremelly tasty and especially the white nests are of high value. Two harvesting seasons annually are strictly regulated and supervised events to ensure that these birds are produsing nests also for the coming years.