The Mysterious Life of the Greenland Shark

The Greenland shark, formally known as Somniosus microcephalus, is one of the longest living vertebrates in the world.

Scientists estimate that these cold-water fish can live up to 400 years or more! That’s a pretty long lifespan, especially when compared with the human lifespan which averages around 80 years.

These mysterious sharks live deep in the icy waters of the Arctic and the North Atlantic Ocean.

They grow at a remarkably slow rate of less than a centimeter a year.

Amazingly, it’s believed they don’t reach sexual maturity until they are around 150 years old.

Perhaps even more amazing, they are not purely carnivorous but are also known to have a taste for reindeer, seals, and even polar bears.

They've been found with parts of these animals in their stomachs.

Because of their slow speed and the sub-zero temperatures in which they live, it's still a mystery how they catch such fast and strong prey..