Scientists discover a deep whale graveyard that is teeming with life
Summary
Scientists found a deep whale graveyard in the southeastern Indian Ocean that is home to many sea creatures like jellyfish and tubeworms. This site is very old—over 5 million years—and lies about 7 kilometers deep, making it the deepest and largest whale graveyard known.Key Facts
- The whale graveyard is located up to 23,000 feet (7 kilometers) below the ocean surface in the Diamantina Fracture Zone.
- Whale bones from this site date back 5.3 million years.
- Multiple deep-sea submersible trips in 2023 helped discover and map five whale carcass sites.
- These whale bones create habitats for many marine animals, including jellyfish, tubeworms, brittle stars, sea cucumbers, squat lobsters, and saltwater clams.
- Many species living on the bones are likely new to science and not documented before.
- The bones have been preserved by their density, depth, and a mineral coating, protecting them from degradation.
- Scientists think whales may have died naturally or from illness and that the ocean floor shape may have collected the bones in this spot.
- Studying this graveyard helps researchers learn how life survives in extreme ocean conditions like high pressure, little light, and low oxygen.
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