Greenland Shark

Fascinating facts about the Greenland Shark

• The Greenland shark lives for centuries, with scientists estimating ages between 272 and 510 years, making it the longest-lived vertebrate known. Radiocarbon dating of eye-lens proteins gave those age ranges, showing it can outlive many human generations. Its extreme longevity is linked to a very slow metabolism and low swim speed, traits that reduce energy use in the cold, deep waters it inhabits.
• Females do not reproduce until they are about 150 years old, and the embryos develop inside for an astonishing 8 to 18 years before birth. The species reaches sexual maturity around 150 years, after which females give birth to live pups following a gestation that can last up to 18 years.
• A tiny copepod that lives on the shark's eyes can destroy corneal tissue, leaving the shark almost completely blind, yet it still hunts effectively using smell and hearing. The copepod Ommatokoita elongata attaches to the eyes and can cause ulceration, mineralisation and corneal oedema, often resulting in near-total blindness.
• Greenland sharks swim at an average of 0.34 m s⁻¹, reaching a maximum cruising speed of about 0.74 m s⁻¹, which is slower than most fish and far below the speed of their seal prey. This lethargic pace matches their preference for near-freezing waters of -1.1 °C to 7.4 °C and depths of 100-1 200 m, environments where energy conservation is vital. Their low swim speed is thought to stem from an extremely low metabolism that supports their extraordinary longevity.
• The Greenland shark genome, published in 2024, contains 6.45 billion base pairs, placing it among the largest shark genomes ever sequenced. This massive genome size is reflected in a high proportion of transposable elements, which make up more than two-thirds of its genetic material.

Sources

Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.

• Wikipedia

At a glance

About the Greenland Shark

In the dark, icy waters of the Arctic, the Greenland Shark glides with a slow, deliberate pace, its massive, torpedo-shaped body undulating through the sea with a hypnotic rhythm. As it moves, its small, beady eyes seem to hold a profound wisdom, as if the secrets of the deep are etched into its ancient, weathered skin. With a lifespan of up to 400 years, this venerable creature has witnessed the passage of centuries, its remarkable endurance a testament to the resilience of life in the harshest of environments.

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