- Greenland sharks can live up to 500 years.
- An Arctic-only species, they are thought to be found in the tropics.
- This was the first Greenland shark ever caught in the Caribbean.
Off Belize’s southern coast, researchers tagging tiger sharks caught a different fish. It was a Greenland shark, an Arctic species that can live 500 years.
When they brought the shark to the surface, they thought it was dead. This shark had black, worn-looking skin and pale blue eyes, unlike tiger sharks. PhD candidate Devanshi Kasana said the shark looked “really, really old.”
“It was just very surprising and confusing,” she said. “As soon as it entered our field of vision, we saw a black figure that was getting bigger and bigger. When it came to the surface, none of the crew with all of their combined fishing experience had seen anything like that.”
Kasana and colleagues reported the capture in July’s Marine Biology.
The discovery suggests that these sharks, thought to be Arctic-only, can be found in the tropics.
Greenland sharks can live 500+ years.
Greenland shark questions baffle scientists. According to NOAA, these sharks may live more than 500 years. There’s no way to determine their age with certainty.
They may live so long because they move so slowly. Greenland sharks grow 1/3 inch per year and can reach 20 feet. Researchers think sharks reach sexual maturity after 100 years.
Unexpected catch.
A July 15 report claims this was the first Greenland shark in the Western Caribbean. Kasana’s team discussed buying a lottery ticket if they encountered another one.
“It slopes suddenly and the depth goes really deep really fast,” Kasana said. “We believe the line dragged from a much shallower depth to the drop-off, which is why we ended up catching this individual.”
She said the shark looked old when they caught it. They considered tagging it but didn’t want to hurt or kill it for science. Kasana and her team measured, photographed, and released the shark.
[embedpost slug=”/huge-sharks-have-been-spotted-in-the-us-while-frightened-onlookers-watch-a-predator-in-bloodied-water/”]
