Where does this come from, and can I check it?

Radiocarbon dating of eye tissue suggests ages beyond 270 years. The figure is taken from NOAA Fisheries, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a animals fact?

Yes. It sits on the Animals shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

Greenland sharks live for centuries

Radiocarbon dating of eye tissue suggests ages beyond 270 years The species grows about a centimetre a year and reaches sexual maturity late. Its slow growth and cold water habitat both point to a long life. Dating older specimens is difficult, with estimates reaching 400 years. It sits in Mondo's animals collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

NOAA Fisheries

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

More facts like this

Greenland sharks may live for 400 yearsRadiocarbon dating of eye lenses suggests lifespans of several centuries A clam can outlive a countryGrowth rings in the shell count the years, and one specimen ran to 507 An adult mayfly may live only a daySome species have no working mouthparts as adults Sharks are older than treesSharks have been around for roughly 450 million years, well before the first trees.Goblin sharks shoot their jaws outward to catch deep-sea preyElastic ligaments catapult goblin shark jaws forward at high speed.Sharks have cartilage instead of boneTheir skeletons are lighter and more flexible than bone would be

Tags: sharks, lifespan, arctic

Greenland sharks live for centuries: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: Radiocarbon dating of eye tissue suggests ages beyond 270 years. The figure is taken from NOAA Fisheries, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a animals fact?: Yes. It sits on the Animals shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.