- A 150-year-old Greenland shark carcass was found on a beach in County Sligo, Ireland
- The 9.5-foot shark is the first recorded stranding of its kind in Ireland, confirmed by IWDG
- Greenland sharks can live over 500 years and mature sexually around 150 years of age
An ancient Greenland shark, thought to be at least 150 years old, has been found on an Irish beach in what experts call a "very rare" event. The nearly 9.5-foot carcass was found in Finisklin, County Sligo, by two locals named Hammad Chaudhry and James Winters O'Donnell, who were out for a stroll along the beach. Initially believed to be a basking shark, the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) confirmed the rare find, noting it is the first recorded stranding of its kind in the Emerald Isle.
"On the evening of Saturday, April 11th, the IWDG Live Stranding hotline received a report of a two-metre dead basking shark. Photos confirmed however, that this was not a basking shark and indeed a very rare and interesting stranding," read the statement by IWDG.
The Greenland shark can have a lifespan of more than 500 years, the longest of any known vertebrate. They typically reach a length of four to six metres.
"Little is known about the elusive Greenland Shark in Ireland, native to deep and remote waters of the Arctic and North Atlantic, however they are known to reach sexual maturity around 150 years of age and give birth their pups live after a gestation period of 8 to 18 years," IWDG said, adding that the male individual in Sligo had very developed claspers, suggesting that it may have been on the brink of maturity.
Scientists To Study The Shark
The shark carcass is now in the possession of the Natural History Museum of Ireland (NHMI), where it will be dissected and studied by the researchers.
"Tissue samples and selected anatomical components are being preserved as part of the NHMI's scientific collections," a NHMI spokesperson told BBC.
"Subject to the condition of the skin and its suitability for preservation, the National Museum hopes to display the specimen in the future, which would allow visitors to learn more about one of the world's most mysterious shark species."
