Will I love Whale Fall?

Ever since I saw my first whale breach the surface of the Pacific Ocean, the majesty of that huge body rising from the sea, then diving, its great tail fin slapping the water as it dove out of sight, I have been fascinated by these animals. On the boat that day, I learned that when whales dive, they leave a “footprint” on the surface.

You can actually see it right after the whale dives. Awesome is an appropriate word to use when describing living animals, but I never thought about what happens when a whale dies until I read Whale… show more.

What is a whale fall? The title captivated me. I learned, via lyrical text, that whale fall is when a dead whale sinks to the ocean floor and, like a tree, provides food and shelter to a host of animals, “deep-sea denizens,” for 50 years or more. Its skin, blubber, bones, and all invite the scavengers to feast: hagfish, sleeper sharks, eelpouts, rattails, crabs, mollusks, microbes, and more until eventually, the “last trace of the mighty whale is gone.”

I also love that the back matter includes esoteric and detailed facts about the scavengers. The book inspires curiosity. I had… show more.