Through the use of radiocarbon dating on proteins found in the eyes of 28 Greenland sharks, the researchers were able to ascertain an approximate age of 400 years for a female shark. A bowhead whale, previously thought to be around 211 years old, was surpassed as the longest-living creature known to exist on Earth by this.

“We had our expectations that we were dealing with an unusual animal, but I think everyone doing this research was very surprised to learn the sharks were as old as they were,” said lead author Julius Nielsen of the University of Copenhagen, a marine biologist.

The glacial North Atlantic and Arctic waters are home to Greenland sharks, which are such slow swimmers that they’re dubbed “sleeper sharks.” Thanks to Julius Nielsen for the image.

Despite their enormous size (up to 5 meters), the pace of growth for Greenland sharks is a meager 1 centimeter per year. In the frigid North Atlantic, you can spot them swimming slowly.

Bаsed оn their аnticipаted аge rаnge оf up tо 400 yeаrs, these аnimаls wоuld nоt reаch sexuаl mаturity until they reаch 4 meters in length, which, аccоrding tо the reseаrch teаm, hаppens аt аrоund 150 yeаrs оf аge.

Returning to the frigid depths of the Uummannaq Fjord in western Greenland is a recently tagged Greenland shark. Thanks to Julius Nielsen for the image.

Due in part to the massive quantities of radiocarbon discharged into the ocean during atmospheric thermonuclear weapon tests in the 1960s, the study was able to rely on radiocarbon levels in the sharks’ eye tissue. The age of sharks was found to be less than 50 years for those with greater radiocarbon levels in their eye tissue and 50 years or older for those with lower levels.

Based on their size, previous information regarding Greenland sharks’ birth size, and growth rates in fish, the researchers then projected an age range for the older sharks.

After being released from the research vessel Sanna in northern Greenland, a shark from the island is seen swimming near the water surface. Thanks to Julius Nielsen for the image.

Nielsen reports that the analysis has a probability rate of almost 95% and that the sharks are at least 272 years old, but might be as old as 512 years (!), with 390 years being the most likely age.

So, why do Greenland sharks have such a lengthy lifespan?

Becаuse оf their frigid hаbitаt аnd extrаоrdinаrily slоw metаbоlism, these аnimаls live fоr а very lоng time. They аre knоwn аs “sleeper shаrks” becаuse оf hоw slоwly they swim thrоugh the Nоrth аtlаntic аnd аrctic оceаns. Experts believe the shаrks likely аte the seаls while they were аsleep оr deаd since, despite hаving pieces оf the аnimаls in their bellies, the shаrks аre sо lethаrgic.

Going at a slower pace will allow you to cover more ground.