World’s largest, deepest, oldest whale graveyard discovered in Indian Ocean
Summary
Chinese scientists have discovered the largest, deepest, and oldest whale graveyard in the Indian Ocean, containing about 500 skeletons some over 5 million years old. The site supports many marine species, including some new to science, living off the whale carcasses on the ocean floor.Key Facts
- The whale graveyard is located up to 7,000 meters deep in the Indian Ocean, west of Australia.
- Around 500 whale skeletons were found along a 1,200 kilometer area called the Diamantina Zone.
- Some fossils date back 5.3 million years, making this the oldest known whale graveyard on Earth.
- The whale carcasses provide food and habitat for a wide variety of sea animals like sea stars, sponges, jellyfish, and worms.
- Researchers discovered a new extinct species of whale among the skeletons.
- Scientists used the Fendouzhe submersible, which made 32 dives in 2023 to collect fossils with robotic arms.
- The whale bones help support deep-sea ecosystems similar to hydrothermal vents by supplying nutrients and carbon.
- The team believes other similar whale graveyards might exist in parts of the Indian Ocean and beyond.
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