Meet the 400-year-old shark swimming till today: What is the secret behind their longevity
This creature's lifespan stretches far beyond what we normally expect from any vertebrate, surviving through ages of history that have shaped the world. Such an extraordinary life story sounds almost like fiction, but it is real. The Greenland shark, a mysterious giant of the ocean, holds the record for the longest-living vertebrate known to science.
These sharks live in icy waters and grow at an incredibly slow pace, making their life cycles exceptional among sea creatures. But, how do they survive such a long time in harsh environments?
According to a
research
published in the journal Science, scientists used radiocarbon dating to figure out the ages of 28 Greenland sharks and found that one female was around 400 years old.
They discovered these sharks grow very slowly.
A Greenland shark born around 1620 is still alive today, making it one of the oldest living vertebrates on Earth. This shark, measuring about 5 meters long, has quietly survived for roughly 400 years, outliving most other animals and witnessing centuries of changes in the ocean and on land. But what exactly allows Greenland sharks to live for so long?
According to scientists, the secret to their long lifespan lies in their slow growth and late maturity.
These sharks grow at a rate of just about 1 centimeter per year and don't reach sexual maturity until they are approximately 150 years old. This slow pace means their bodies age much more gradually compared to most other animals.
What did the researchers find out?
Researchers used a special radiocarbon dating technique on the proteins found in the sharks' eye lenses to estimate their age. Eye lenses are unique because their proteins remain unchanged from birth, serving as a biological time capsule.
By analyzing these proteins, scientists concluded that this particular shark was born sometime between 1501 and 1744, with 1620 being the best estimate. This method gave a reliable age estimate that revealed the shark's extraordinary longevity.
According to scientists from the study, 'One female, measuring 5 meters in length, was likely around 400 years old, possibly even older.' This discovery goes much beyond the previous record for the longest-living vertebrate, held by the bowhead whale, which can live up to around 211 years.
They are prone to over fishing!
They take quite a long time to mature and reproduce, so their populations are vulnerable to threats like overfishing. Historically, Greenland sharks were heavily hunted for their oil-rich livers, which were used in various products. Overfishing peaked before World War II and has had lasting effects on their numbers.
Today, most Greenland sharks found in the wild are younger 'teenagers' who haven't yet reached full maturity.
Scientists warn that it could take a century or more for the populations to recover fully. Their slow growth and long life cycles mean that damage to their numbers takes a long time to repair. This makes protecting them even more important.
Greenland sharks live in the cold depths of the North Atlantic, where their slow metabolism likely helps them survive longer. The cold environment slows down biological processes, which might reduce aging and damage to cells over time.
This natural adaptation, along with their slow growth, gives these sharks a lifespan that is quite exceptional in the animal kingdom.
These sharks' unique biology and environment have made them oceanic time travelers, carrying the history of the seas through the centuries. Protecting these ancient creatures is essential if we want to preserve a living link to Earth's distant past.
Photo: Canva
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