Is There a Chance That the Megalodon is Still Alive?
As the world moves on at a fast pace, a question arises: is the megalodon still alive? Megalodon was once the most powerful predator in the waters of Earth. There is a persistent urban legend that these enormous sharks are still around today, despite the fact that their fossils have been lost for millions of years. And it’s not like it is a bad thing to wish for the massive animal to still be there somewhere, right?
Jack Cooper, a researcher and a member of the Pimiento Research Group, which investigates the evolution of marine biodiversity, has provided quite the response. After a number of years devoted to research, he has come to the conclusion that the megalodon no longer exists (sadly!).
What are the factors that led to the extinction of the megalodon, and why did it not survive until today?
Cooper stated that there are a number of reasons why the megalodon is not likely to be found anywhere in the waters today, despite the fact that the bulk of the ocean has not been investigated. To begin, the hierarchy of the food chain would appear somewhat different if the species were still there today. Speaking of unexplored areas. Could the megalodon have found its home in the Mariana Trench?
Its disappearance had cascading consequences. Whales, one of their key prey items, got even bigger after megalodon went extinct with nothing around to eat them; […] the modern-day food web has partially been shaped by megalodon not being there, explained Cooper.
According to Kenshu Shimada, a paleobiologist at DePaul University in Chicago who has conducted research on megalodon and who has stated that there is no evidence to support the hypothesis that these enormous sharks still exist somewhere on the planet today, not even in the Mariana Trench.
Particularly in the ocean’s deepest sections, such as the Mariana Trench, which extends down 10,935 meters (35,876 ft) below the surface of the water, scientists are constantly learning about some of the ocean’s most enigmatic and unmapped locations.
What are your opinions on the likelihood of the megalodon living for such a significant amount of time?
Last but not least, here’s something to reflect upon. If the megalodon were still here today, it is quite possible that we would have heard about it due to the fact that it, like the great white shark, would be subject to poaching.
Tiesha loves to share her passion for everything that’s beautiful in this world. Apart from writing on her beauty blog and running her own beauty channel on Youtube, she also enjoys traveling and photography. Tiesha covers various stories on the website.
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