Canadian Shark ConservancyALL SHARKS

ATLANTIC · ARCTIC / CANADA

Greenland shark

Somniosus microcephalus

An Arctic deep-water shark with an extraordinary lifespan.

A Greenland shark swimming beneath Arctic sea ice.
Photo: Hemming1952 · CC BY-SA 4.0
A Greenland shark swimming over the seafloor in deep water.
Photo: NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program · Public domain
CONSERVATION STATUSVulnerable
SIZEMore than 6 m has been reported
DIETFish, marine mammals and carrion
01

Species overview

Greenland sharks inhabit cold North Atlantic and Arctic waters. They are slow-swimming, deep-water animals with thick bodies and small fins.

02

Habitat and range

Cold Arctic and North Atlantic waters

03

Diet

Fish, marine mammals and carrion

04

Threats and pressures

Bycatch, Long generation time, Climate-driven habitat change

Knowledge replaces fear. Stewardship begins with understanding.

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