Day Four: The Greenland Shark

I’m going to be completely honest; I don’t feel well today and I have about a million things to do, so this may be shorter than the others. But I wanted to fulfill my commitment, so I am blogging anyway!

Statistics

• Can grow to more than 20 feet in length
• Also called the “sleeper shark”
• Prefers cold water around 30-35 degrees F
• Found at depths of 2,000 feet or more

The largest recorded Greenland shark was 21 feet and weighed in at 2,250 pounds. As its name indicates, it is found off Greenland, and also parts of the north Atlantic near Iceland.

According to the International Shark Attack File there has only been one reported attack of the Greenland shark on a human. Around 1859 in Pond Inlet, Canada, it was reported that a Greenland shark was caught containing a human leg in its stomach. This story, however, was only a report and was never scientifically investigated or proven. The lack of recorded attacks may only be due to the shark's habitat, which is much to cold to be populated by common swimmers, therefore, significantly reducing the chance of an attack on a human.

Reproduction

The Greenland shark can have litters of up to 10 pups, which are about 15 inches in length when born.

The Greenland shark is a slow moving shark due to its cold environment. As I usually try to do, I have found a video of the Greenland shark, so you can see it in action.


Sources

http://dsc.discovery.com/sharks/greenland-shark.html
http://www.marinebiodiversity.ca/shark/english/greenland.htm
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/GreenlandShark/GreenlandShark.html