Feasting Whales Fuel Ocean Ecosystems

What We Can't Sea

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In the vast and blue expanse of the ocean, there are creatures that dwarf even the mightiest of land mammals. Listen now to learn more about these amazing animals that help to keep our oceans healthy,

The largest animals on our planet sustain themselves by eating some of the tiniest: baleen whales, which can grow to over 30 meters (about the length of three school buses), feed predominately on krill that are only a few centimeters long (roughly the size of a paper clip). Baleen whales need to eat a lot of their small prey. In doing so, they influence the entire ecosystem. After feeding at depths well below the surface (around 100 meters deep), whales will return to surface waters and defecate. This nutrient recycling fertilizes surface waters for krill, which are an integral part of the marine food web. New research suggests that whales consume up to 3 times more food than previously estimated, prompting scientists to reevaluate how baleen whales impact their environment and what that means in the face of a shifting climate.