10 Incredible Facts About Greenland Shark that You May Not Know About:
- Incredible Lifespan: The Greenland shark is one of the longest-living animals on Earth, with some individuals reaching over 400 years old! Born in the same century as Isaac Newton, Johann Sebastian Bach, Vivaldi, …
- Slowest Moving Shark: This giant glides through the ocean at a snail’s pace, moving only about 1.5 km per hour, making it one of the slowest sharks.
- Cold Water Lover: It thrives in icy Arctic and sub-Arctic waters, where most other sharks wouldn’t survive.
- Massive Size: Growing up to 7 meters (23 feet) long, it’s one of the largest sharks, yet remains largely mysterious and elusive.
- Mysterious Eyes: The Greenland shark’s eyes are cloudy due to a parasite that lives in its corneas—yet it seems to manage just fine.
- Unusual Diet: It feeds on a variety of prey, including fish, seals, and even polar bears, and is known to scavenge carcasses.
- Low Metabolism: With a sluggish metabolism, it can survive for months without eating, making it a true survivor in harsh conditions.
- Late Bloomer: This shark doesn’t reach sexual maturity until it’s around 150 years old—making its life cycle extraordinarily slow.
- Surprising Range: Despite living in cold waters, it’s found in both the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean, often at depths of over 2000 meters.
- Ancient Survivor: With its ancient lineage, the Greenland shark has been around for more than 150 million years, predating even the dinosaurs!
A living relic of the deep, the Greenland shark’s extraordinary life and adaptations make it one of the ocean’s greatest mysteries!
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