Whales act as natural ocean gardeners by releasing nutrient-rich excrement that stimulates phytoplankton growth. Phytoplankton absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, and when they die and sink, that carbon is stored on the seafloor for hundreds to thousands of years. Marine scientists call this the 'whale pump' a cycle where whales fertilize the surface, krill feed on the plankton, and whales feed on krill, reinforcing the system. A single blue whale can store around 30 tons of carbon in its body, which remains locked on the ocean floor after death. Industrial whaling removed 90% of large whales, disrupting this cycle and reducing ocean productivity. Protecting and restoring whale populations could enhance a natural carbon sink that operates at no cost and without engineering.
