The disruption of the Carlsbad Caverns ecosystem was caused by a bag of Cheetos, according to the National Park Service.

Officials from the National Park Service were a bit sarcastic when conveying a crucial message to crews who had rushed to mitigate the effects of a bag of Cheetos left in Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico.

An image of a full bag of Cheetos was shared on Facebook by the Carlsbad Caverns National Park, depicting it being discarded in the Big Room area of the cave system.

"No matter how big or small, our actions have consequences wherever we go. We influence the world around us through our interactions, and we experience the impact of our choices."

The post continued, showcasing instances where rangers were greeted with a smile or shared the dawn's first rays with someone they cared about.

While rangers may encounter visitors imposing their frustrations on anything, including forgetting to pack their own sunscreen and snacks before visiting the park, they also gain experience in dealing with such situations.

"At Carlsbad Caverns, we appreciate the ability to accommodate thousands of visitors daily. However, unintended consequences can be challenging or impossible to mitigate, such as the trace of lint left by each person's footsteps in the cave."

The park pointed out that there are other avoidable impacts, such as a bag of Cheetos left off-trail in the Big Room.

The owner of the snack bag may not have realized the impact of their actions, but the ecosystem of the cave was greatly affected.

The park stated that the processed corn in the crunchy, cheesy snacks was softened by the humidity of the cave, creating the perfect environment to welcome and host fungi and microbial life.

The snack can be discovered by cave crickets, mites, spiders, and flies, which disperse the nutrients to the surrounding cave and formation. Molds can also spread high into nearby surfaces before fruiting, dying, and releasing a stench. The park service explained that the cycle continues.

Park rangers spent 20 minutes meticulously removing foreign debris and molds from cave surfaces to maintain cleanliness.

While some inhabitants of this transient ecosystem are cave dwellers, many of the microbial life and molds are not. From a human perspective, a spilled snack bag may appear insignificant, but to the life of the cave, it can be catastrophic.

"No matter the size, we all make a difference wherever we go. Let's strive to improve the world for future generations," the park service stated.