A story by member Hannah Hickey explores a theory by University of Washington researchers that whale poop is beneficial to the fostering of marine life. While whales, feasting upon incredible amounts of krill, were once thought to limit their population, studies have shown that krill amounts never rebounded after their predators were hunted to near-extinction. Further research into whale feces show that the excrement actually contains nutrients important to marine life. Hickey’s article leads us to discover the key elements behind the flourishing of marine ecosystems, derived from whale poop.
Photo: Postverk Føroya – Philatelic Office via Wikimedia Commons