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Whale graveyard with hundreds of fossils found in Indian Ocean

From Helsingin Sanomat · () Finnish

Translated from Finnish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Scientists have discovered a massive whale graveyard in the Indian Ocean containing hundreds of fossils.
  • The site, estimated to be 5.3 million years old, is one of the largest and deepest whale graveyards found to date.
  • The graveyard's formation is likely linked to the unique V-shaped topography of the Diamantina Zone, which may have caused whales to dive too deep and perish.

An extraordinary discovery has been made in the southeastern Indian Ocean: a vast "whale graveyard" teeming with hundreds of fossils. This paleontological site, estimated to be approximately 5.3 million years old, represents one of the most significant and deepest whale graveyards ever unearthed.

Whale bones have been found over a distance of about 1,200 kilometers, researchers report on Wednesday in the journal Nature.

Detailing the scale of the discovery.

Researchers have found whale bones spread across a distance of about 1,200 kilometers, with fossil remains dating back at least five million years. The site contains not only the oldest discovered remnants but also more recent bones, indicating a prolonged period of whale accumulation. The majority of the fossils identified belong to beaked whales, a species known to inhabit the waters of this region.

The reason for the formation of the huge graveyard may be the V-shaped, funnel-like topography of the Diamantina Zone.

— Professor Xikun SongPresenting the leading hypothesis for the graveyard's formation.

The formation of this immense graveyard is thought to be connected to the unique geological features of the Diamantina Zone, located southwest of Australia. This area, formed tens of millions of years ago during the separation of the Australian and Antarctic continents, features a distinctive V-shaped, funnel-like topography that extends to depths of up to 7,000 meters.

Beaked whales typically dive deep, but may reach their limits at a depth of 3,000 meters. This increases the risk of exhaustion for whales.

— Professor Xikun SongExplaining the diving behavior of beaked whales and potential risks associated with extreme depths.

Scientists theorize that this topography may have played a crucial role in the whales' demise. Beaked whales typically dive to great depths, but the extreme pressures at around 3,000 meters may push their limits, increasing the risk of exhaustion and death. The funnel-like structure of the seabed could have then directed the carcasses of dead and dying whales into this deep-sea repository. The sheer quantity of fossils, estimated to be over 10 million whale remains, has astonished the research team, especially given the difficulty of accessing such extreme depths.

We estimate that there are over 10 million whale remains lying in the graveyard.

— Researcher Peng ZhouQuantifying the immense number of fossils found at the site.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Helsingin Sanomat in Finnish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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