Greenland Shark Dead Off Irish Coast Is Over 150 Years Old

In April 2026 a team of researchers and volunteers working on the coast of County Sligo, Ireland, discovered a dead Greenland shark lying on the tide‑exposed sand. The animal measured about three metres in length and, based on its size, was estimated to be more than 150 years old – an age that would place its birth in the early 1870s.

Scientists noted that the Greenland shark is the longest‑lived vertebrate on the planet, with a potential lifespan of 300‑500 years. Marine biologist Emily de Lous of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group said, “It’s so amazing to think how long this animal lived and what it may have seen.” The find offers a rare opportunity to study the species’ biology and its slow‑growing, late‑reproducing nature, which is critical for its conservation.