Scientists have found the world’s largest whale fossil site at the bottom of the Indian Ocean, west of Australia. The site is more than four miles deep and contains fossils that may be over five million years old. Experts say it is the deepest and oldest known whale fossil site of its kind.
The discovery was made by an international team of scientists from China, Italy and New Zealand. Their findings were published in the scientific journal Nature. The team carried out 32 dives and collected samples from 485 whale sites.
Researchers found many remains, including evidence of an extinct whale species. They named it Pterocetus diamantinae after the site where it was discovered. Lead study author Xiaotong Peng said the researchers were “astonished” when they realised how large the discovery was.
The scientists also saw many animals feeding in the area, including jellyfish, worms, snails, crustaceans, brittle stars and bivalves. Study co-author Peng Zhou said the lively ecosystems gave the team a new view of the dark and cold ocean floor.
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