We have previously considered some of the treasures of the oceans—fish, whales, shellfish, salt, minerals and much more. But there is another important treasure, billions of tons of it, and most people have never heard about it. It is a living material called krill, or plankton.
Without the immense supply of krill there would be no whales, porpoises, or some of the important fish that form part of man's food supply. For all these and many others, krill is the main food. Whales are perhaps the largest feeders on krill. Swimming through a mass of krill with its mouth open, then closing it to squeeze out the water, the "krill soup" that remains is swallowed. It is estimated that a large whale may swallow over five tons of this a day, composed of trillions of krill.
Most krill is found in the icy waters of the Arctic and Antarctic oceans and is the real reason why whales, penguins and many kinds of fish are so plentiful in those areas. The name "plankton" means "wandering" and refers to that part of the krill composed of tiny plants and animals (also called diatoms), some so small that a teaspoonful of water could hold one million of them! These drift about in ocean currents, and if not devoured, their tiny skeletons eventually drop to the bottom, making, over the centuries, great deposits of "diatomaceous earth." This material can be dredged out and used as filters for swimming pools, in sugar refineries, in paints and for many other purposes.
However, krill is made up of many things besides diatoms. Tiny, shrimp-like creatures often form part of it as well as others that look like miniature lobsters, shellfish about the size of a postage stamp, another shellfish called a copepod, great masses of algae and untold millions of microscopic plants and life forms. The lobster-like krill, whose eyes form the major part of their head, are a choice food of penguins along with a heavy diet of fish. Table-size shrimp are fond of krill also. All of these receive from it important vitamins and minerals which is part of the Creator's way of providing strength and health for them and, in turn, on to others who eventually use them for food.
Sometimes called "the pasture of the sea," krill is often found in great masses covering the ocean for several miles. It often glows with a soft but plainly visible light as ships pass through it at night.
While these creatures are unseen to most of us, we cannot help but consider how wonderful it is that the Lord God, their Creator, is always aware of all His creation and through krill provides for so many of them. "These all wait upon Thee; that Thou mayest give them their meat [food] in due season" Psa. 104:2727These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. (Psalm 104:27).