Life after Death – ONC Fund

WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation is the leading charity dedicated to the protection of whales and dolphins. WDC’s vision is a world where every whale and dolphin is safe and free; they care deeply about whales and dolphins, and share this passion with their supporters. WDC’s work is backed by robust research, science and philosophy.

Life After Death is a groundbreaking research project that will transform our understanding of deep-sea biodiversity, how whales lock away carbon and support marine ecosystems resilience. Whale Falls are incredible oases of deep-sea biodiversity. When whales die naturally at sea, they sink to the seabed, far from the light above, where their bodies sustain and nourish hundreds of specialist species for decades.

Studying the impact of whale falls on deep-sea ecosystems is a huge logistical challenge requiring cutting edge technology, operating at the limits of what is possible. To date, whale fall studies have been opportunistic, periodically monitoring whale carcasses weeks, months or years after they have died. This trailblazing project will be the first ever study of a whale fall in a low oxygen environment. Working with the world’s leading academics in this field, we will sink a gray whale carcass off the Western Coast of Vancouver Island, to a depth of 890m in an Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ).