Rare Greenland Shark Washes Up in UK

The Greenland shark is a real wonder of nature: both the duration of its life and its adaptability to icy water have intrigued marine biologists. For a fish of this size, these features are unique.

On 15 March, boat skipper Trev Worth discovered a rare shark that could have lived for hundreds of years in the waters off Cornwall, UK, according to the BBC.

Trev Worth was at sea with crew member Kingsley when they saw the creature in the water.

"We were that shocked that we found it that there was this moment of silence on board, surely it's not that Greenland shark," he said, as quoted by the BBC.

The crew brought it ashore and the Marine Strandings Network (MSN) sent it to a veterinary pathologist for a examination. According to reports, the shark could be around 500 years old.

On 13 March, the Greenland shark was spotted stranded off at Newlyn Harbour, Cornwall but by the time the Cornwall Wildlife Trust's Marine Strandings Network arrived, the shark had already washed back out to sea.

"We are absolutely delighted to update you that the superb crew from Mermaid Pleasure Trips, Penzance, Trev and Kingsley, this evening found and brought ashore the dead Greenland shark which was previously stranded on Sunday and then washed back out to sea," Cornwall Wildlife Trust's Marine Strandings Network said.

Prior to that, only once, in 2013, was the Greenland shark found in UK waters, according to MSN.