What is Whale Fall?

A whale’s death can create an entire deep-sea ecosystem. When the massive body sinks to the ocean floor—known as a whale fall—scavengers like sharks and hagfish arrive first to feast on the flesh. Later, countless small creatures, bacteria, and strange lifeforms such as “zombie worms” consume the remaining bones and nutrients. Over years and even decades, this single carcass transforms the empty seabed into a thriving biological hotspot, eventually becoming a reef-like structure that supports unique marine life.

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