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| Greenland shark, a venomous shark that is hundreds of years old |
Greenland shark, a venomous shark that is hundreds of years old. Greenland is the largest island in the world which is located in the Arctic, despite its large size, this island is not inhabited by many humans due to its extremely cold temperature and infertile soil.
However, it is in the waters surrounding the island that contain one of the most amazing shark species known to man. Greenland shark or in scientific language Somniosus microcephalus is the name of a shark species that can be found in the waters around Greenland Island.
But Greenland's oceans are not the only habitat for these sharks. The animal in question can also be found off the coast of Canada and northern Europe. Apart from the sea, Greenland sharks can sometimes also be found in river estuaries. Greenland sharks have different favorite habitats because they adapt to the conditions of the season.
In winter, Greenland sharks prefer shallow habitats, for example on beaches and even river mouths. But in summer, these sharks are usually found at depths of 180 to 550 meters.
Greenland shark, a venomous shark that is hundreds of years old
Greenland sharks are classified as large sharks because their maximum length can reach more than 6 meters. However, in general, these sharks are between 2 and 4 meters long. This shark skin is gray or brown with patches like a rash all over its body.
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| Greenland shark, a venomous shark that is hundreds of years old |
The shape of the dorsal fin is short, while the tips of the pectoral fins appear widened. Despite their large size, the Greenland shark is not a dangerous shark for humans because this shark has a very slow swimming behavior (only around 1.2 km / hour).
Even so, Greenland sharks can still fight and give a painful bite if attacked by humans. Because this shark has rows of sharp teeth and can easily tear the flesh.
Quiet but deadly carnivorous animal
The uniqueness of the Greenland shark is not only limited to its “lazy” swimming behavior. This shark is also classified as a vertebrate animal with the longest lifespan in the world. How not, one shark specimen that scientists have studied is known to be 400 years old!
Scientists can determine the age of the Greenland shark by analyzing the sample in the shark's eye lens. Scientists suspect that Greenland sharks can live long because they have a very slow metabolism and growth rate.
A Greenland shark is only sexually mature at 150 years of age and only increases in length by about 1 cm every year.
The Greenland shark is an ovoviviparous animal which means that it lays eggs, but the eggs are stored in their body until they hatch. A female shark can contain up to 10 babies.
When mating, the male will bite the female's pectoral fin to be held while channeling his sperm. What's more, not much is known about the reproductive behavior and life cycle of these sharks.
The flesh is intoxicating
Greenland sharks are poisonous to humans, this is because shark meat contains a lot of trimethylamine compounds. By Greenland sharks, this compound functions as an anti-freezing and osmotic circulation regulator in Greenland sharks.
If humans eat Greenland shark meat without being properly processed, that person can show symptoms like someone who has consumed too much alcohol.
Video in the framework of a scientific campaign, releasing Greenland sharks alive
Although poisonous, Greenland sharks are still widely hunted and even eaten by Icelanders. To remove harmful substances from the meat of Greenland sharks, sharks that have been caught will be cut off their heads, then put into dug pits.
The hole containing the shark is then filled with a large amount of gravel so that the meat is pressed and the juice is extracted. Shark meat is left in the burrow for two months. After that, the shark meat will be removed from the burrow and cut into small pieces.
The shark meat pieces are then hung up for several months. After that, Greenland shark meat can be turned into a strong smelling dish known as "hakarl".
It is not only Greenland shark meat that can be used by the inhabitants of Northern Europe. The Inuit tribe uses Greenland shark skin to make their shoes, while shark teeth can be turned into knives. In the past, many of these sharks were also caught for their liver oil.
Because Greenland sharks have a habit of gathering near fishing boats, they are often killed accidentally as a result of being caught in fishing nets. It is not known exactly how many Greenland sharks are in the wild, but the population of these sharks is not expected to reach the endangered stage. By: Ochie
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