Living up to a hundred years can be a blast.
Some of us can’t even imagine being alive for a century. And who would even want to?
Then, can you imagine that there is actually a creature that has been alive for the last four to five centuries? Say hello to this ancient shark, which has shocked every biologist and shark fanatic.
Scientists estimate that the shark could be 500-year-old. To put this on a scale, this shark was probably born in the reign of King Henry VIII, and this is impressive.
View this post on InstagramADVERTISEMENT A satellite tag from from this female, which we caught earlier this year in #Greenland, has just reported her position.point 304 |
ADVERTISEMENT She is now ~500 km from capture location and she is not alone….point 57 | another shark tagged on same expedition is almost at the same location.point 117 | This is the first piece of evidence on #Greenlandshark group migration.point 178 | Good job GS304 and GS309 ?????? #greenlandsharkproject #tagandrelease #oldandcold #extremefishing #science #sharkscience #psat #wildlifecomputers #arctic #ocean #fishing #shark #marinebiology #marinescience #conservationpoint 378 | 1
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According to the researchers at Shark Sider, the shark has been blind for quite a long time. This could be due to the fact that parasites often invade the eyes of these deepwater-dwellers, and impair the vision significantly.
These sharks move at a very slow pace in order to conserve energy, which is why they live to see centuries unfold. And their growth is apathetic as well- only a centimeter annually.
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This particular shark measures 18 feet long, and scientists estimate its age could range anywhere from 272 to 400 years old. Some speculate the age to be more than 500, but according to The Washington Post, this is likely an inaccurate assumption. Radiocarbon dating also disproved the latter.
However, even with longevity being a typical aspect, even 400 years is quite an exaggerated lifespan, and this shark is the oldest of the other 28 sharks discovered by scientists. It is also worth noting that almost nothing is known about their hunting habits since they live at such great depths.
View this post on InstagramIn exactly 1 hr and 7 minutes a satellite tag will pop-off from this Greenland shark female, it will float to the surface and establish contact with an Argos satellite.point 366 |
ADVERTISEMENT It will then transmit information on position as well as occupied temperatures the past 3 months.point 82 | By tomorrow morning I will hopefully have the data which just can make it into my PhD before ending in four weeks.point 175 | All of this (except handing in PhD in four weeks) will however only happen IF 1) the shark is not under sea ice (which would inhibit satellite transmission), 2) the sea is not too rough where the shark is which could lead to that the tag cap can’t be exposed properly in the air or 3) that the shark has not been deeper than 2,000 m which would have crushed the tag and destroyd it….point 492 |
ADVERTISEMENT it also requires that there is no annoying animal eating the tag before we get the data which happened to us on a previous deployment.point 110 | FINGERS CROSSED??#greenlandsharkproject Photo credit: Takuji Noda ?point 171 | 1
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Some sharks have even been observed with reindeer and horse remains inside them, and we can’t stop wondering how they got there! Researchers also theorize that these sharks are scavengers and enjoy a good second-hand meal of dead narwhals, beluga whales, and even polar bears.
One more noteworthy aspect is the fact that these are the only animals that dwell in the deep icy water of the Arctic ocean all year round. Some even say that the low temperatures are their secrets to a long and healthy life!
Did you find the Greenland shark interesting? Let us know in the comments below, and don’t forget to SHARE.