No other shark lives closer to the North Pole than the
Greenland Shark (also called Sleeper Shark). This cold water giant is closely
related to the Pacific Sleeper Shark and grows to 6.5-7 metres in length and a
weight of over 1000 kg.
Greenland Sharks live in the North Atlantic near
Greenland and Iceland
The Greenland Shark (and Sleeper Shark) has the
reputation of being very slow and sluggish when caught. Divers report that Greenland sharks are not threatening and are slow
swimmers but we may not know the full story of these huge predators. The native
Inuit people have legends of sharks attacking their boats.
Examination of Greenland Shark stomachs shows that at
times they can be fast and hungry. Contents include squid, fish, polar bears,
reindeer, horses, and other Greenland Sharks. William Sommers reports that he
has seen Greenland sharks snatching caribou
from the water's edge.
It is reported that Greenland Sharks have a problem with
parasites (copepods) that attack their eyes. The parasites cause scars that
interfere with the shark’s sight. Sharks have a number of senses that detect
prey and good eye-sight may not be critical for this species.
The flesh of the Greenland Shark contains a powerful
neurotoxin and is poisonous to eat. They seem to be immune to their own poison
and are able to eat each other.
Teeth photo are from Canadian Shark Res. Lab.
