The IWDG said the Greenland shark is the longest living vertebrate in the world with a life span of several centuries; the oldest recorded specimen was” over half a millennium in age”.
A large species, the shark typically reach lengths of 4m to 6m.
The shark lives in one of the most extreme environments with temperatures frequently falling below zero, yet this shark thrives.
Its slow way of life means it expends little energy when scavenging for food.
Powerful suction means this shark can suck food into its mouth from over a metre away. It finds its food using its sense of smell, which is highly developed, and it’s thought this compensates for the shark being blind.
Known to reach sexual maturity about 150-years-old, the shark gives birth to its pups after a gestational period of eight to 18 years.
The male shark discovered in Sligo is said to “have had very developed claspers, perhaps on the brink of maturity”.