At 518 years old, the world’s oldest animal appeared near Belize in the Caribbean, thousands of kilometers from its natural habitat. The Greenland shark lives in the Arctic, in extremely cold and deep waters. Therefore, it is less researched than other species and its occurrence is considered rare. According to scientists, these sharks can live at least 400 years, twice the life expectancy of the longestlived land animal, the giant tortoise.
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The animal is one of the largest in the world
- The Greenland shark is known for its slowness and its scientific name, Somniosus microcephalus, means “smallheaded, sleepy shark.”
- The animal is believed to reach reproductive maturity at around 150 years of age.
- This species is one of the largest in the world and is similar in size to the famous great white sharks. It reaches a length of up to 6.4 meters and a weight of up to a thousand kilograms.
- The latest sighting was made by researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) and scientists believe global warming could be affecting the animal’s behavior.
- The information comes from O Globo.
Greenland shark (Image: Dotted Yeti/Shutterstock)
Sightings are extremely rare
Eating the meat of these sharks can cause symptoms similar to those of severe intoxication in humans, and the neurotoxins present can cause disability. The toxicity is linked to trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) found in the animals’ flesh tissue, an adaptation that helps them withstand the damaging effects of severe cold and high water pressure.
Although there are ancient legends of attacks on kayaks, there are no documented records of Greenland sharks. In addition, it is extremely unlikely to see the animal. The first recordings of this species did not take place until 1995 and it took another 18 years until a video was created showing it in its natural habitat.
Although all sharks are coldblooded, this particular species thrives in extremely cold environments. Greenland sharks prefer to live in waters with temperatures between 1°C and 10°C and migrate to colder regions every season. They are the only sharks known to tolerate Arctic conditions yearround.