Ted Reckas
They’re the slowest of the big fish, and they catch prey much, much faster than they are.

A weekly dose of education in the ocean.

 

Wired writer Brian Switek brought up a good question yesterday. Greenland sharks are slow. They have to be—they’re ectotherms (body temperature regulated by surrounding environment) living under the Arctic ice, which means the cold water causes them to move incredibly slowly. Like 1 mile an hour slowly. And their typical prey, harbor seals, ringed seals and bearded seals, are quick, graceful swimmers. So why don’t Greenland Sharks starve?

Turns out they sneak up on their prey, which is amazing because they’re largely blind (see video below).

See the full story at Wired.com