greenland shark lifespan

Its true the Greenland sharks are the longest lived creatures on the Earth. Longest-Lived Vertebrate Is Greenland Shark.

Meet 5 Remarkably Old Animals From A Greenland Shark To A Featherless Seafaring Cockatoo Australian Geographic

They have the longest lifespan of almost all species Greenland sharks are one of the longest living species in the world and they are the longest living vertebrate.

. Such is the life of the Greenland sharka 5-meter-long predator that may live more than 400 years according to a new study making it the longest lived vertebrate by at least a century. Greenland sharks are slow-moving typically swimming at rates of less than 3 km about 19 miles per hour. Greenland sharks exact life span is unknown. Scientists believe they could live for 500 years.

11 2016 Greenland sharks live at least as long as 400 years and they reach sexual maturity at the age of about 150 a. Scientists believe that the average lifespan of the species is about 272 years and could reach up to 392 years. Newsweek Newsletter sign-up Research published in Science in 2016 used atmospheric changes caused by nuclear bomb tests over several decades to. Why not check out some shark facts and.

Interesting Greenland Shark Facts 1. It is a generalist feeder consuming a variety of available foods. However a recent study has shown that their life span is over 500 years. Nevertheless scientists have long believed Greenland sharks live for about 250 years.

One theory to explain this long lifespan is that the Greenland shark has a very slow metabolism an adaptation to the deep cold waters it inhabits. The sluggish creatures do not reproduce until they become mature the maturity age of Greenland sharks is about 150 years. A NOAA remotely operated vehicle doing a dive off New England encountered a Greenland shark at a depth of 783 meters but these sharks are known to dive as deep as 2200 meters. They are carnivorous and their diet is often made up of several different types of fishes including smaller sharks eels flounders and sculpins.

So it should come as no surprise that the females are not ready to reproduce until after they hit their 156th birthday. The Greenland shark has the longest known lifespan of all vertebrate species estimated to be between 250 and 500 years and is among the largest extant species of shark. A 2016 study published in the journal Science estimated that Greenland sharks have a maximum life span of at least 272 years based on analysis. Even 250 is an impressive age number for a shark.

Theyre also the only shark that can withstand the cold. While weve yet to confirm just how long these deep-sea sharks can live weve found records of sharks older than 200 years old. Lifespan of 400 Years Aug.