Animal of the day: Greenland shark! (Somniosus microcephalus) The Greenland shark, also called the gurry shark, is considered to be the longest-lived vertebrate species, with the oldest specimen ever found estimated to be around 272 to 512 years old! They inhabit coastal waters of the Arctic and North Atlantic, feeding upon seals, cod, crabs and squid! They move incredibly slowly underwater, but when hoisted onto land or a boat, they thrash with an intensity powerful enough to knock a full-grown man on his bottom! According to one account, the Greenland shark is so extremely hard to kill because of its tough, aged muscle fibers! Unfortunately, the Greenland sharks are vulnerable to bycatch due to their long lifespans; they only reach sexual maturity at 150 years of age and have an approximate gestation period of 8 to 10 years. Interestingly, the Greenland shark is entirely inedible if the meat is not treated correctly due to the presence of toxins in the flesh. Image source: https://www.vichighmarine.ca/greenland-shark/
