Whale Falls: The Afterlife of a Whale Carcass

UwP contributors are not · Issue 36, May/Jun 2007 · pp. 49–52

the removal of the blubber, but the abandonment of the muscle and tissues. White sharks do concentrate their efforts around these carcasses on the fatty tissues, which may provide more energy per unit of effort in terms of feeding and digestion. However, once the remains of the whale wash ashore, a different community may take advantage. Intertidal communities and other opportunistic ecological entities on shore may profit of the situation. Whale detritus is however a relatively minor source of carrion on beaches and coastal environments, but has been observed to be important for Polar Bears and Artic Foxes. Invertebrates from the intertidal realm, as well as shore birds are the main animal groups exploiting such a massive source of food. The most normal destiny of a whale carcass is however the deep-sea floor, once the animal has sunk and settled on to the seabed. Ecosystems of the deep…