Greenland shark

그린란드상어

A big shark of the cold, deep Arctic and North Atlantic. It swims very slowly and has a thick, rounded body with a short snout and small fins. It is thought to live for centuries, making it the longest-lived vertebrate known.

See it on the 3D globe →

At a glance

Class: Fish
Lives in: Arctic & North Atlantic, Greenland to Norway
Diet: Meat eater (carnivore)
Length: about 4.5 m
Top speed: about 2.7 km/h
Conservation status: Vulnerable (IUCN VU)
Habitat: polar regions, deep sea

Quick answers

Where does the Greenland shark live?

It lives in polar regions, deep sea of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans. On the globe you can find it near Arctic & North Atlantic, Greenland to Norway.

How big is the Greenland shark?

It grows to about 4.5 m.

What does the Greenland shark eat?

Its diet: meat eater (carnivore).

How fast is the Greenland shark?

It can reach about 2.7 km/h.

Is the Greenland shark endangered?

It is listed as Vulnerable (IUCN VU).

The Greenland shark is a big, slow shark that lives in the cold North Atlantic and Arctic oceans. It has a thick, rounded body, a short snout and small fins. Most adults are around 4 to 5 metres long, but the biggest confirmed one measured 6.4 metres and weighed over a tonne.

It is famous for living longer than any other known vertebrate. Scientists estimate that it can live between about 272 and 510 years. It swims very slowly, cruising at roughly 2.7 kilometres per hour, and it reaches adulthood only after about 150 years. It is hard to study because it lives so deep and in such remote seas.

How do we know its age?

The shark grows only about one centimetre a year, and scientists use that slow growth to guess its age. In 2016, a Greenland shark caught near Norway was estimated at about 392 years old, give or take 120.

Researchers say it may be the longest-living vertebrate, but exact ages are still uncertain, so you will see a range. Scientists say the exact lifespan is still being debated, so you will often see figures between about 270 and 500 years.

Food and the strange delicacy

The Greenland shark eats many things, from fish to carrion. Its meat is poisonous to mammals when fresh because of a chemical called trimethylamine N-oxide.

In Iceland, people treat the meat by drying and fermenting it for months. The result is a pungent dish called hákarl. The shark lives deep in cold waters, so it is not considered a danger to people.

Fun facts

Greenland sharks live at least 272 years and do not become adults until about 150 years old.
It is thought to live for several hundred years.
It grows only about one centimetre a year.
Fresh Greenland shark meat is toxic until it has been specially treated.