Large Animals as Carbon Stores: A Climate Solution?

Scientists have discovered that large animals like elephants and whales can serve as living carbon stores, helping to balance the climate. Research suggests that the loss of these animals has contributed to a decline in carbon sequestration. Efforts to 'rewild' landscapes and protect these species may offer a potential climate solution. The ocean's whales, as the largest animals to have existed on Earth, have substantial bodies that can keep climate-warming carbon out of the atmosphere for decades. Additionally, whales' nutrient-rich waste supports phytoplankton, which absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide. Even after death, whales' bodies can continue to sequester carbon as deep-sea organisms feed on them.