Whale graveyard dating back five million years discovered

The Indian Ocean site is "far beyond anything we had imagined", one researcher says.

Deepest and most extensive whale graveyard discovered in Indian Ocean

Some remains found in Diamantina fracture zone date back more than 5m years and reveal species and ecosystems unknown to science The oldest, deepest and most extensive whale graveyard yet discovered has been found in the south-eastern Indian Ocean, with fossils dating back more than 5m years. Whale falls – the term for dead whales that sink to the ocean floor – are not uncommon, but most have been found at depths of less than 4km (2.5 miles). By contrast, the newly discovered necropolis reach...

By Nicola Davis Science correspondent

World’s largest, deepest, oldest whale graveyard discovered in Indian Ocean

Chinese scientists have discovered a massive whale graveyard of around 500 skeletons, some dating back to more than 5 million years, at the bottom of the Indian Ocean west of Australia, according to research published in the journal Nature on Wednesday. The whale fall provides shelter and sustenance to a vibrant ecosystem of marine species, many believed to be new to science.

By FRANCE 24

Deepest and most extensive whale graveyard brimming with life discovered in Indian Ocean

Five distinct carcass sites were found and scientists unearthed fossils, including skulls belonging to both beaked and baleen whales, with the oldest bones dating back an astonishing 5.3 million years

By Adithi Ramakrishnan

Scientists discover a deep whale graveyard that is teeming with life