Page 157 - (DK) Super Shark Encyclopedia: And Other Creatures of the Deep

SLOW MOVER

GREENLAND SHARK

Life slows down in the ice-cold waters of the Arctic,
and the Greenland shark is probably the slowest giant
fish in the ocean. It can manage only half the cruising
speed of a seal and it takes a full seven seconds just
to sweep its tail from one side to the other. As a result,
the Greenland shark cannot chase down its prey. Instead,
it relies on creeping up on its victims and taking them
by surprise. Amazingly, this is good enough to grab an
unsuspecting seal—or even a seabird.

AT A GLANCE

• SIZE 8 ⁄4–24 ft (2.5–7.3 m) • LOCATION Arctic and North
1
• HABITAT Cold coastal ocean Atlantic Oceans
waters, moving to greater depths • DIET Fish (including other sharks),
in warmer months seals, squid, crabs, jellyfish, and
small dolphins

STATS AND FACTS

WEIGHT 1,700 lb/775 kg
(max.)
Sharks develop slowly
when they remain lb 500 1,000 1,500 2,000
in cold waters. The
Greenland shark grows kg 250 500 750 1,000
nearly a hundred times
slower than certain
speedy sharks that GROWTH RATE
live in the tropics. ½ in (1 cm) per year (Greenland shark)

Up to 35 in (90 cm) per year
(Tiger shark in warmer waters)
GIANT SCAVENGER SWIMMING SPEED
0.75–1.5 mph
The Greenland shark gets meat (1.25–2.5 km/h)
mph 1 2
where it can, and sometimes
it scavenges dead animals it AVERAGE WATER TEMP. km/h 2 4
1.85 mph (3 km/h)
finds in shallow waters. Some typical speed of seal
sharks have even been found 36 ° F
with the remains of reindeer 2 ° C
in their stomach.
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