Image from http://www.clker.com. Woodridge, IL, USA — Great White Shark Opening Mouth — Image by © Denis Scott/Corbis
Scientists have discovered that great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) actually live longer than previously thought (up to 23 years or so). Using radiocarbon age estimates, Dr. Hamady and colleagues at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution determined the animals can live to the ripe-old-age of 70+ years. These findings mean that great white sharks, like humans, may take longer to mature. It also means that overfishing may pose more of a threat to them than previously thought.
Sources: LiveScience
Hamady LL, Natanson LJ, Skomal GB, Thorrold SR. Vertebral Bomb Radiocarbon Suggests Extreme Longevity in White Sharks. PLoS ONE. Published online January 08, 2014. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084006
Categories: Aging, Extreme Animals, Ocean Life, Sharks
Tags: Aging, longevity, Sharks
Life Lines by Dr. Dolittle 