It's well known that krill have many beneficial nutrients for pets, mostly because they are a superior source of omega-3s, choline, astaxanthin, and marine proteins. All these nutrients have several health benefits for pets, including healthy organs, skin, and fur.
But what do you actually know about the mighty krill? Where do they come from and how come they are so incredible? Here are some important things we think you need to know about krill.
Read what are the health benefits of krill
1. They may look like it, but krill are not fish
Yes, that’s right! They may look like it but krill are not fish. Even though the word “krill” comes from Norwegian and means “small fry of fish”, krill are small crustaceans with big black eyes and a reddish, semi-transparent body.
Present in every ocean around the globe, krill only swim in big swarms around Antarctica. They are also the basis for the entire Antarctic food web. Penguins, seabirds, seals, fish, and whales all eat krill.
2. The Antarctic krill is among the species with the largest biomass on the planet
Antarctic Krill, also known as Euphausia Superba, are among the largest of the 85 known krill species, being one of the world’s largest single-species marine biomass.
The total weight of the krill biomass is around 62.6 million tonnes, which is twice the size of the human biomass. They move in huge swarms throughout Antarctic waters and feed on microscopic algae. At certain times of the year, their swarms are so dense and widespread that they can actually be seen from space!
3. Krill is sustainable
Antarctic krill are a keystone species of the ecosystem because they are the main food for fish, whales, penguins, and seals. But as quickly as they are eaten, the krill population is replaced in no time by their growth and reproduction.
Given their huge importance, our commitment to ensure a healthy ecosystem for the animals that depend on krill as a primary food source is and has always been strong. From the very beginning, we started a dialogue with different NGOs about fishing operations that would have as little impact as possible on the Antarctic ecosystem.
The krill fishery is monitored and regulated by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, an organization committed to ensuring the protection of marine life in Antarctica.
CCAMLR regulates the precautionary principle strictly in the harvesting area, with an annual quota of a maximum of 1 % of the local biomass. The management of the fishery is very stable, as the consensus of 28 nations is needed to change any of the fishery regulations in the Antarctic.
More on the sustainability of krill
Some other things you may want to know
- QRILL Pet is made entirely from whole Antarctic krill
- Krill are wild and cannot be farmed or raised
- Krill weight is on average less than an ounce
- They can generate their own light, something known as bioluminescence
