Five‑Million‑Year Whale Graveyard Unearthed in Indian Ocean

Wed Jun 10 2026 22:14:42 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A 1,200‑km underwater necropolis of fossilised whales dating back 5.3 million years reveals ancient marine ecosystems.

Scientists have discovered an enormous whale graveyard—over 1,200 km (745 miles) long—deep beneath the southeastern Indian Ocean. The site, located 7 km beneath the sea surface, contains fossilised remains that are as old as 5.3 million years, pushing back the timeline of whale fossilisation in the region. Researchers from China, Italy and New Zealand found more than 485 whale‑fall sites, including the extinct Pterocetus benguelae and a newly described species, Pterocetus diamantinae, alongside a 5‑metre Antarctic minke whale skeleton. The graveyard hosts diverse deep‑sea fauna—jellyfish, worms and crustaceans—which may represent previously unknown species. The discovery is expected to inspire further deep‑sea exploration and a new understanding of how ancient marine ecosystems functioned.

Five‑Million‑Year Whale Graveyard Unearthed in Indian Ocean

Scientists have newly uncovered a massive underwater graveyard spanning roughly 1,200 km (745 miles) across the Diamantina fracture zone in the southeastern Indian Ocean—an area of sea‑floor ridges and trenches. The site, located 7 km beneath the ocean surface, contains fossilised whale carcasses that date back at least 5.3 million years.

Humpback whale just below the surface of the blue ocean in Mexico — Reinhard Dirscherl/ullstein, Getty Images

The underwater necropolis, described in a paper in Nature, is likely teeming with organisms and species that could be new to science.

"Discovering a necropolis of this scale was completely unexpected," said Xiaotong Peng, an evolutionary biologist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. "The size of distribution, the depth and the age range were far beyond anything we had imagined."

During 32 dives to the site, researchers collected samples from 485 whale‑fossil sites and active whale‑falls. They found a fascinating array of remains, including a 5‑metre Antarctic minke whale carcass—the largest discovery—and the fossilised skulls of the extinct beaked whale Pterocetus benguelae, dated 5.3 million years ago.

A new species, named Pterocetus diamantinae after the discovery site, was also described. Jellyfish, worms and various crustaceans flourish around the massive spread of carcasses, forming a unique deep‑sea community that warrants further study.

Science commentator Stephen J Godfrey of the Calvert Marine Museum remarked that the find is “a truly unique discovery” that “will no doubt inspire more submersible dives in similar environments.” He added, “Although the site has limited accessibility, it seems likely to hold many other exciting finds.”

The graveyard’s discovery offers a rare glimpse into prehistoric marine life and highlights the rich biodiversity hidden in the ocean’s depths, encouraging future research into deep‑sea ecosystems and their potential conservation implications.