Whale Fall Sites Attract Sixgill Sharks to Carcasses Weighing Dozens of Tons

A predator the size of a small car feeds on a corpse heavier than a truck.

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Whale falls can support specialized organisms for years as the carcass decomposes.

When a whale carcass sinks to the deep ocean floor, it can weigh tens of tons and create a temporary ecosystem known as a whale fall. Sixgill sharks are among the largest scavengers recorded feeding on these massive food pulses.

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💥 Impact (click to read)

In the food-scarce abyss, a single whale fall represents years of nutritional opportunity. Sixgills use powerful jaws and serrated lower teeth to remove large sections of tissue efficiently.

A predator already weighing over half a ton feeding on a carcass heavier than most land vehicles illustrates deep-sea scale. In darkness, giants consume giants in events that can sustain entire communities for decades.

Source

NOAA Ocean Exploration

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