You’re not going to believe this, but… scientists dropped a cow to the bottom of the sea. Sounds bizarre, right? But there was a good reason: they wanted to see what would happen, like simulating a dead whale sinking in the ocean. What they found was some curious and unexpected things about strange deep-sea creatures. Some of the animals that showed up were sharks with behaviors they never have seen before. which was crucial to understand more about life  in one of the most mysterious places on Earth. Aren’t you intrigued about this experiment? So, let’s learn more about what really happened down there with the cow.

These sharks found in this unusual place

Thanks to this experiment, scientists saw eight Pacific sleeper sharks (a species that usually lives in cold waters, like near Alaska or Japan). They had never been seen before in that part of the South China Sea!

This made scientists ask: Are these sharks moving because the climate is changing? Or have they always been there, and no one had seen them?

It seems the second option is more likely. Maybe that part of the sea had never been studied properly, and that’s why we didn’t know they lived there.

Sharks taking turns to eat?

Can you imagine these sharks taking turns to eat? Well, it’s true! Scientists were very surprised when they found out these animals waited their turn to eat from the cow. So, no fighting as we thought. If you think this is the only curious thing they found out about sharks… you are so wrong. Let’s see more findings thanks to this weird experiment!

Different behaviors

Taking turns to eat wasn’t the only thing scientists found curious about sharks, they also saw that the bigger sharks — almost 3 meters long — were way more confident and swam straight up to the cow. In contrast, the smaller  ones were more careful and kept circling around before getting closer. So, size can tell a lot about shark behavior.

Anything interesting about their eyes?

Something curious they did with their eyes was to kind of pull them back, like they were trying to protect them. Not from a threat, but because they don’t have a ”membrane” like others do, that’s why pulling their eyes in is just their way of not getting poked or scratched while they’re eating the meat.

Other animals apart from sharks

Yeah! Sharks weren’t the only animals that came, snailfish and small crustaceans called amphipods also fed on the cow. This shows that the bottom of the sea in that area has more life than expected. Before, some scientists thought deep tropical seas had low activity, but this experiment showed the opposite.

Why is this experiment important?

Using a cow instead of a whale was a useful way to learn how life works at the bottom of the sea, a place that’s very hard to explore. The scientists learned a lot:

  • They saw sharks with social behavior.
  • They discovered unique physical adaptations.
  • They noticed that the South China Sea floor is full of life.

We have always heard about climate change and human activity being the main issues affecting our planet, therefore these ecosystems. This is why this experiment is really important, so that we know more about how to care for our planet Earth.

So next time you look out at the ocean, remember: there is a whole hidden universe down there, full of surprises and sometimes, understanding it better starts by looking where no one has looked before, even at the bottom of the sea. Have you ever heard something similar like this experiment with a cow?