Introduction
Megalodon shark (Otodus Megalodon ) is a prehistoric animal that lived approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago. It is the largest, most powerful animal in history. They belong to the family Odontidae. They resemble today’s modern great white shark. The first fossils of the megalodon shark were discovered in Europe. These fossils create many questions about megalodon, one of which is “What killed the Megalodon Shark?” Here we discuss.
What Killed the Megalodon?
The megalodon shark became extinct approximately around 3.5 million years ago, when the Pliocene epoch ended, although no exact date is difficult to pinpoint. Scientists have determined from the teeth of the megalodon shark when it became extinct in this world. But no one knows the real truth about the exact megalodon shark extinction from this world. Whatever information we have today has been gathered from all the fossils. Many scientists give different reasons for the extinction of the megalodon shark, some of which we will explain here.
1. Climate Change ( Ocean Cooling).
- In the late Pliocene, the Earth began to cool significantly this causing sea level to fall, reducing the warm coastal habitats that megalodon depended on. Megalodon preferred warm water, so the cooler seas likely shrank their hunting areas.
- About 4 to 2.5 million years ago, when the Earth had a global temperature decrease, the polar ice cap expanded, causing sea level to drop by hundreds of feet. This reduced the warm water that was the habitat of the megalodon shark. Cold water was not suitable for it, which affects its metabolism and reproductive system, which depend on warm water to decrease its reproduction, and it gradually disappeared.
2. Loss of Prey (Marine Mammals Shift).
- The Megalodon shark preyed on large marine mammals such as blue whales and seals. When the Earth’s surface temperature dropped, these creatures migrated to cooler water and died out in warmer waters. The lack of food made it difficult for such a large predator to survive.
- The Megalodon shark requires more than 1000 kilograms (2200+lbs) of food per day, which is essential for its massive body.
- One reason for its extinction is that the newly evolved whales were faster and more agile, making it more difficult to hunt.
3. Rise of New Predators.
- At the same time, smaller and more adapted predators evolved, such as the Great White Shark and the Orca (killer whale), which could survive in cold water and had better hunting techniques.
- Some studies suggest that juvenile megalodons were preyed upon by these predator,s which led to a decline in their population.
4. Slow Reproduction.
- Like the modern shark, the megalodon shark had a long life span but had a low reproductive rate, which led to its population decline and failure to recover.
- Megalodon sharks have few offspring and a long gestation period , and also delayed maturity ( may be 20+ years to adulthood). This made to low its population.
All these events led to the extinction of the megalodon shark. The megalodon shark did not all disappear at once; it went extinct gradually.
