The Economic Times

Science says a dead whale can feed an entire ecosystem for decades, what happens after it reaches the seafloor is extraordinary

The massive bones of a whale can hold significant amounts of lipid-rich material. In the low-oxygen environment around a whale fall, microorganisms gradually decompose this organic matter. As part of that breakdown, sulfate-reducing microbes can produce hydrogen sulfide, creating a chemical energy source that helps sustain specialized deep-sea communities.