Does it float? Or sink...
OR GET EATEN?...
WHAT THE HELL HAPPENS!?!??!?!?!!!!
2007-11-07 13:15:58 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
A dead whale ends up "hosting" an unexpected GREAT FESTIVAL for 10 years or longer down the sea floor serving more than 160,000 tons of food to hundreds of thousands of sea animals and creatures as the "guests".
Soon after a whale dies, it floats. Scavengers will attack and start eating its flesh changing its density which can make its remains to sink. The dead body then becomes nutrients or food transporter down the sea floor.
Down the sea floor scavengers consume its meat for months to few years. The decomposing bones are consumed by some sea animals and such bones can also produce some chemical used by some bacteria to produce foods. Few creatures set homes on the remaining bones and it could also remain as a food supply for many years.
By the way, dead whales that do not immediately sink can also be washed off ashore. The decomposing floating huge body undergoing chemical changes inside could also sometimes EXPLODE... BOOOM!! The scattered pieces will be eaten by fellow sea creatures while the remaining parts sink and the FESTIVAL keeps going.
That's what happens to the dead whale.
2007-11-07 15:38:04 · answer #1 · answered by ♥ lani s 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No matter if they sink or foat they are eating by other animals. It just ends up a question of what animals will eat them. For example you have different animals living on and close to shore vs animals that live out to sea and in deeper water.
With the sink/float thing for the most part they are sinkers, mainly to do with the way their body mass is desinged. Ever so often though you will get a foater, it just tends to be a rare thing.
2007-11-07 14:02:48 · answer #2 · answered by The Cheshire 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some wash ashore but the ones that don't will eventually sink to the seafloor and are then known as "whale falls." They will feel the benthic community for literally years before the flesh even disappears. After that, the bones will be scavenged for their minerals. They play a HUGE part in the benthic ecosystem!
2007-11-08 19:28:46 · answer #3 · answered by M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When a whale dies it will float. But, it will not be there very long. As soon as it dies something will start feeding on it. Then the sharks and sea turtles will find it. Pretty soon it will sink. Then the critters at the bottom get a chance to feed on it.
2007-11-07 15:20:37 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It becomes a magical whale-angel and floats up to Heaven on a rainbow-colored cloud laced with LSD and happiness. And then Mr. Beck and the whale sing Yoko Ono songs for all of eternity. And then the whale decomposes and turns into rotting moldy diseased-ness. The end!
<3, your ex-girlfriend whose mother you slept with
2007-11-08 00:50:07 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I work in marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation. I've seen many dead whales in my time.
Their blubber generally makes them float. If it decays enough, it may sink. The whales get nibbled on alot, because the fat is a great source of energy. But again, if it decays enough, it will do just that- decay and become part of the ecosystem again. It won't be "eaten" by things such as fish or crabs.
2007-11-07 17:12:43 · answer #6 · answered by K H 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It floats and it gets eaten
2007-11-08 10:43:30 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They float, get eaten and then wash ashore.
mmm... good eats!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR04-G9SBdQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp_OYGUFymo
what not to do with a whale carcass
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sNE9k8mZ1w
laid to rest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2W7GNjkVzQ
2007-11-07 20:24:19 · answer #8 · answered by BayleeMarie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It goes to the great fisn tank in the sky
2007-11-08 09:49:04 · answer #9 · answered by Jeff m 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
they get eatin by creatures like the cookie cutter shark
2007-11-07 16:18:04 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋