The Greenland Shark - World's Oldest Shark | 500+ Years Old Legendary Shark | Dr. Binocs Show
Summary
TLDRThe script discusses the Greenland shark, the longest living vertebrate with a lifespan of 400 years. These sharks reveal their age not through rings on their vertebrae but through eye lens tissue samples. Reaching sexual maturity at 150 years, they grow slowly and have a sluggish metabolism. Despite moving slowly, Greenland sharks are potential apex predators, using circular motions to tear flesh from prey with their unique teeth. Facing vision issues from parasites and human hunting, urgent conservation is needed for these mysterious giants reaching 7,200 ft in extremely cold Arctic waters.
Takeaways
- 😲 The Greenland shark is the world's longest living vertebrate, with a lifespan of 400 years
- 🐢 These sharks grow very slowly, not reaching maturity until around 150 years old
- 🚤 Their bodies have antifreeze-like substances, allowing them to live in frigid Arctic waters
- 😴 They move very slowly, earning the name 'sleepy small head'
- 🦷 Unique teeth allow them to rip chunks of flesh off large prey
- 🥩 Their diet includes fish, squid, polar bears, horses and reindeer
- 🦠 A parasite attaches to their sides, damaging their vision
- 🌊 They can dive to depths of over 7,000 feet in pitch blackness
- 😷 Their flesh is toxic if consumed by humans
- ⏳ The oldest Greenland shark found was estimated to be about 390 years old
Q & A
How old is the oldest Greenland shark found?
-The oldest Greenland shark was estimated to be 392 years old plus or minus about 20 years.
Why is the Greenland shark difficult to determine the age of?
-Most sharks show their age through rings on their vertebrae, but Greenland sharks lack these rings. Instead, scientists determine their age by peeling layers of the lens in their eyes and through radiocarbon dating of lens tissues.
At what age do Greenland sharks reach sexual maturity?
-Greenland sharks don't reach the baby making stage until they are around 150 years old.
Why is it difficult to determine the growth rate of Greenland sharks?
-Figuring out how fast Greenland sharks grow is difficult since they are not often caught. One tagged shark grew only 2.3 inches over 16 years.
What enables Greenland sharks to live so long?
-Researchers know very little about the Greenland shark's metabolism so it's unclear what enables their longevity.
How does the parasite Oomacta elongata affect Greenland sharks?
-The parasite typically latches onto the shark's side, damaging the cornea and leaving scar tissue and infection, thereby affecting their vision.
How do Greenland sharks hunt without good vision?
-Despite blindness, Greenland sharks depend on their other sharp senses adapted for the cold and dark ocean depths they inhabit.
Why is Greenland shark flesh toxic to humans?
-While the reason is uncertain, consuming Greenland shark flesh can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to convulsions.
Why are urgent conservation efforts needed for Greenland sharks?
-Humans have been hunting Greenland sharks for their liver oil, putting them on the verge of extinction.
What was the misconception about the oldest Greenland shark?
-The oldest shark was estimated to be 392 years old, but there was a widely held but debunked claim that the oldest shark was 512 years old.
Outlines
🦈 All About the Mysterious Greenland Shark, the Oldest Living Vertebrate
This paragraph provides an overview of the Greenland shark, which holds the record for being the longest living vertebrate at 400 years. It describes the shark's physical features like small eyes, rounded snout, lack of anal fin, dark coloration, and massive size up to 23 ft and 1.5 tons. It also covers details about the shark's habitat in the Arctic Ocean, its sluggish speed and predatory strategy of holding prey with upper teeth and tearing flesh with lower teeth.
😢 Threats Facing the Greenland Shark and Need for Conservation
This paragraph discusses problems confronting the Greenland shark, including a parasite called Ommatokoita elongata that damages its eyes and impairs vision. It also mentions the threat of human hunting for the shark's toxic flesh, which is driving the species toward extinction. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the urgent need for conservation efforts to safeguard these ancient giants of the Arctic depths.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Greenland shark
💡lifespan
💡Arctic Ocean
💡vertebrae
💡metabolism
💡parasite
💡conservation
💡scavengers
💡adaptations
💡mystery
Highlights
The Greenland shark is the world's longest living vertebrate with a lifespan of 400 years.
Greenland sharks don't show their age through vertebrae rings like most sharks and instead scientists use eye lens radiocarbon dating.
Greenland sharks don't reproduce until around 150 years old.
Greenland sharks grow very slowly, as evidenced by a tagged shark that only grew 2.3 inches over 16 years.
Greenland sharks move slowly, earning the name "sleepy small head", at a speed of only 1.12 feet per second.
Greenland sharks use a unique feeding strategy of holding prey with upper teeth while tearing with lower teeth.
Greenland sharks face vision problems from parasites but adapt using their other senses in the dark depths.
Greenland sharks have antifreeze-like substances allowing them to live in frigid -2°C to 7°C water.
Eating Greenland shark meat can cause diarrhea, convulsions and other symptoms due to toxicity.
Greenland sharks are on the verge of extinction due to human liver oil hunting.
The oldest Greenland shark was estimated to be 392 years old.
There was a past misconception that the oldest shark was 512 years old.
Greenland sharks employ a unique feeding strategy to consume large prey.
Greenland sharks face threats from parasites that damage their vision.
Greenland sharks have adaptations allowing them to thrive in freezing Arctic waters.
Transcripts
[Music]
look granny
Shar oh that's not just a granny shark
but also the oldest shark ever found
really yes so in today's episode let us
dive into this newly discovered world of
the oldest living creature we call the
Greenland
Shar zoom in deep within the chilly
Waters of the Arctic Ocean lurks a
ghostly sea creature known as the
Greenland shop which holds the title of
the world's longest living vertebrate it
boasts an incredible lifespan of 400
years twice that of the Giant and toris
the longest living land
animal most sharks typically show their
age through three rings on their
vertebrae but not the Greenland shark as
it lacks these rings in its vertebra
instead scientists determine the age by
peeling layers of the islands which
keeps growing throughout their
lives and by performing radiocarbon
dating on the lens
tissues surprisingly these slow Growers
don't reach the baby making stage until
they're around 150 years old figuring
out how fast Greenland sharks grow is a
puzzle since they are not often caught
again however there's a shark tag in
1936 that only grew 2.3 in when it
showed up again 16 years later
because researchers know very little
about the Greenland shark metabolism it
is unclear what enables them to live so
long what we do know is that these
submarine shaped creatures generally
sport dark gray brown or black
coloration with small eyes arounded
snout and no anal Fin and can grow up to
an impressive 23 ft at weigh 1.5
tons due to its laidback nature it is
aptly named somniosus micro cilis
meaning sleepy small head as the
sluggish creature moves at a mere speed
of 1.12 ft per second earning its
reputation as one of the slowest sharks
however don't be fooled by their
slowness as beneath their unassuming in
appearance lies a potential top predator
in the oceanic
hierarchy yes featuring narrow pointed
upper teeth and broader Square teeth on
the lower jaw Greenland sharks employer
unique feeding strategy they hold large
prey in place with their upper teeth
executing a circular motion and using
their lower teeth as a blade to tear off
chunks of flesh though primarily
scavengers their menu includes fish
squid and unexpected meals like polar
bears horses and
reindeer but despite their dominance
Greenland sharks face their share of
problems due to a pesky parasite called
omat
elongate which typically latches onto
the shark side damaging the Cora and
leaving scar tissues with infection
thereby affecting their Vision however
these sharks don't let blindness stop
them and depend on their super senses in
the cold and Pitch Black depths reaching
down to
7,200 ft where temperatures swing
between
28.4 to
44.6
F fortunately their bodies have
antifreeze like substances preventing
ice crystals from forming and aiding
them in living longer lives even in such
harsh conditions while there is no
documented evidence of Greenland sharks
attacking humans their flesh is toxic
which if consumed can cause symptoms to
ranging from diarrhea to convulsions
unfortunately this has not stopped
humans from hunting them for their liver
oid putting Greenland sharks on the
verge of Extinction so urgent
conservation efforts are needed to
safeguard these mysterious Giants of the
Arctic depths trivia time did you know
the oldest Greenland shark was estimated
to be
392 years old plus or minus about 20
years yes this led to a widely held but
now debunked misconception that the
oldest shark was 512 years
old sketching time today's sketch of the
day goes to
May hope you had fun today until next
time it's Kitty and me swimming
[Music]
out how how dare you call me granny I'm
just
150 years
old never
[Music]
mind
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