Published：Jun 10, 15:00Last updated：Jun 11, 08:31

Massive 5.3-Million-Year-Old Whale Graveyard Found in Diamantina Trench

Jun. 10, 2026 15:00

Researchers have discovered a massive whale graveyard in the southern Indian Ocean, with fossils dating back over five million years. Published on June 10, 2026, the article explores why so many whale carcasses are found in this specific location and what it reveals about ancient marine ecosystems.

Summarized

20News

16Media

Jun. 11, 2026 02:58

A research team led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering discovered the deepest and largest whale fossil group and whale fall ecosystem in the Diamantina Trench in the southeastern Indian Ocean. The findings, published in the journal "Nature," reveal that the area has been a "whale graveyard" for over 5.3 million years. The discovery provides new insights into the evolution and ecology of ancient whales and changes the understanding of whale fall ecosystems' distribution.

Jun. 11, 2026 08:31

Chinese scientists discovered the largest whale cemetery on the floor of the southern Indian Ocean near Australia. The site is over 5 million years old, as reported in the journal Nature on June 11, 2026.

A Chinese-led international research team has discovered the world's deepest and largest whale fossil graveyard in the Diamantina Trench of the southeastern Indian Ocean. The remarkable site, located at 6,789 meters depth, contains over 10 million whale carcasses across 476 fossil sites dating back 5.3 million years. Published in Nature, the findings from the '奋斗者号' submersible expedition reveal five active whale-fall ecosystems that are reshaping scientific understanding of deep-sea biodiversity and ancient whale evolution.China.org+2

🌊 Unprecedented Fossil Concentration

The graveyard spans 1,200 kilometers at depths between 4,200-7,000 meters, with 476 whale fossil accumulations identified. Five distinct chemosynthetic-stage whale falls were documented, creating nutrient-rich hotspots that support diverse life. The site includes remains of beaked whales, baleen whales, and previously unknown extinct species, representing the largest concentration of whale fossils ever recorded.Die Welt+2

🔍 Scientific Breakthroughs

Key discoveries include:

Oldest recorded whale fall ecosystem (5.3 million years)
New chemosynthetic communities with 35 benthic species
Evidence of ancient whale migration patterns
The Global Hadal Exploration Program's findings surpass previous records in both scale and preservation quality, with international collaboration from Italy and New Zealand researchers.CCTV+2

🐋 Ecosystem Insights

The graveyard functions as a "superhighway" of whale falls, sustaining unique deep-sea life:

Organism Type	Examples Discovered
Invertebrates	Tubeworms, brittle stars
Fish	Deep-sea eels
Microbes	Chemosynthetic bacteria
This ecosystem rivals hydrothermal vent communities in complexity and provides new evidence about marine nutrient cycles.The Independent+2

beaked whaleNature journalDiamantina TrenchChinese Academy of SciencesGlobal Hadal Exploration Program

topic.regionalNarratives

China

Reporting emphasizes China's leadership in discovering the deepest and largest whale fossil graveyard, highlighting technological achievements and international collaboration.

Russia

Coverage notes the discovery of a massive ancient whale graveyard near Australia, emphasizing its scale and age.