World's Largest Whale Graveyard Discovered by Sub at Bottom of Ocean: "Completely Unexpected"
Researchers found 485 whale-fossil sites and five active whale falls, revealing deep-sea ecosystems that may include species new to science.
- Researchers led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered a vast whale necropolis in the Indian Ocean's Diamantina Zone, detailed in a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature.
- During a 2023 expedition using the Fendouzhe submersible, scientists mapped 485 whale fossil sites and five active ecosystems along a 1,200 kilometre stretch of the seafloor.
- Fossils dating back 5.3 million years include an extinct species named Pterocetus diamantinae, with researchers estimating the area holds over 10 million carcasses accumulated over geological time.
- Active whale falls support thriving ecosystems of invertebrates like jellyfish and brittle stars; lead author Xiaotong Peng said the scale was "far beyond anything we had imagined."
- The findings reshape understanding of deep-sea biodiversity and evolutionary history, with researchers suggesting similar whale necropolises likely exist in other core beaked-whale habitats worldwide.
114 Articles
114 Articles
der Standard AT
der Standard DESome of the carcasses are fresh, others five million years old. They form the basis for an unknown ecosystem
The Morning News
Egyptian GazetteWorld’s Largest Whale Graveyard Discovered By Chinese Sub
What if one of the greatest wildlife discoveries on Earth wasn’t found on land—but nearly seven kilometres beneath the ocean’s surface?Chinese scientists have uncovered what is believed to be the world’s largest whale graveyard deep in the Indian Ocean. Revealing an underwater “city of the dead” that has been sustaining life for millions of years.The discovery includes almost 500 whale skeletons scattered along a 1,200-kilometre corridor west of…
Chinese scientists have discovered the world's largest "whale graveyard" in the Indian Ocean, dating back 5.3 million years. These skeletons are providing a food and growth ecosystem for rare deep-sea creatures.
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