The Megalodon, perhaps the most feared and impressive species from prehistoric times. This shark is known as an incredibly fearsome creature which probably had a great impact on the biodiversity of the time. This shark created a form of fascination in us as humans that will probably continue for years or maybe even decades.
We have been able to get a reasonable idea of this animal over the years and this is purely thanks to its teeth. This has allowed us to estimate the Megalodon and its size, thanks to science we suspected that the Megalodon must have reached a length of 18 metres. Now comes the question of whether the megalodon could ever return. Is this really a possibility or does the Megalodon belong to prehistory forever? Let's take a deeper look at this.
What was the Megalodon?
Let's first take a look at what the Megalodon actually is before we start thinking about its possible return, The Megalodon, also known as the Carcharocles megalodon, was a giant shark believed to have dominated the oceans from about 23 to 3.6 million years ago, during the Miocene and Pliocene. This predator was known as the apex predator and was at the top of the food chain. This shark had more competition than natural predators. Although the estimates about its length of 18 metres and its weight of 40000 kilos are only estimates, scientists do agree that the Megalodon was many times larger than today's white shark.
Extinction of the Megalodon
To assess whether the Megalodon could ever return, we first need to look at the reasons that led to the extinction of this giant shark. Scientists believe that there has been a combination of factors that led to the Megalodon's eventual demise. These factors include climate change, decline in food sources and also, ultimately, competition. One could almost say that this must have been a chain reaction. In any case, the end of the Megalodon caused some kind of shift in the ecosystem. An environment where smaller, agile and more adaptable species prevailed. Want to know more about the history and extinction of the Megalodon? Read all about it on our page.
The science of de-extinction
You may have heard about it, it was a huge topic in films like Jurassic Park, namely: de-extinction. This is a process that stands for bringing back extinct species. This has been a controversial and much-discussed topic in recent years, especially in scientific circles. Here, technologies such as CRISPR and cloning, for example, could offer a theoretical possibility of bringing back extinct species. Of course, this form of technology is still very much in its infancy phase and raises questions of ethics and practice.
Could the Megalodon come back?
Looking at how science currently stands, we can confidently say no, this is highly unlikely. First of all, a huge amount of DNA is missing, which in addition deteriorate over time. Considering the Megalodon breathed its last millions of years ago, it seems unlikely that good DNA could ever be found again. Besides, one could ask the question, if we could ever do something like this, would it be ethically responsible at all, or even ecological? After all, the consequences would be incalculable. Reintroducing an apex predator of that size into our current ocean where many animals are already close to extinction would be disastrous.
Ethics and ecology
The idea of bringing back a Megalodon raises a lot of questions, especially ethical ones. Consider the following: would it be fair to bring this monster back to a world that is no longer calculated to support this animal? How could marine life prepare for this if at all possible? These questions actually say enough. As fascinating as this shark species is. There really is no place left for this giant.
The role of people
Another important role is that of humans, for when it comes to conservation of currently existing shark species. Indeed, an awful lot of species are threatened by overfishing, habitat loss and climate change. Instead of thinking and dreaming about bringing back extinct species, let's think about protecting and preserving the animals we have here.
Conclusion
We at Megalodontand.nl naturally share the fascination about the Megalodon and what it would be like if it came back. However, it is currently unrealistic and impossible with the knowledge and technology we currently have. In addition, ecological and ethical issues are also of enormous importance. In our current times, let us focus more on preserving the animals we have here now instead of bringing back giant monsters from prehistoric times.