Greenland Shark

Meet Dr. Greg Skomal, the scientist you heard featured in the Greenland Shark podcast. We asked Dr. Skomal a few questions about himself and here is what he had to say about life as a scientist.

Where do you work?

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries.

What do you study?

I study the life history, ecology, and physiology of sharks.

What are three titles you would give yourself?

Biologist, diver, photographer.

What do you like to do when you are not working?

My work involves both field and laboratory efforts. By far, the latter, which includes time both on and under the water is the most fun. When I am not working, I spend time with my family.

What do you like most about science?

Making sense out of nature. That is, collecting data about sharks, then putting all the pieces of a puzzle together to assemble a discovery. The whole process involves physical and mental exertion as well as a bunch of creativity.

Audio Extra

Listen to Greg’s first EOL podcast about great white sharks.

Video

Watch a video of a Greenland Shark from the Greenland Shark and Elasmobranch Education and Research Group (GEERG).

Facts

Photo Credit: Jeffrey Gallant, GEERG

The Greenland shark favors ringed seals (Pusa hispida), but has a wide diet that includes a wide variety of fish, dolphins, skates and other sharks, sea birds, sea urchins, crabs, and jellyfish. Carrion is also on the menu—the remains of drowned horses and reindeer have also been recovered from the stomachs of dead sharks.

The copepod—a tiny crustacean—bores into the shark’s eye and leaves it almost blind. But the parasitic infection also lends the shark’s eyes an eerie, bioluminescent glow that seems to attract small prey. Since both copepod and shark benefit from this relationship, it’s called mutualism.

The Inuktitut people of the Canadian Arctic call the Greenland shark the ekalugssuak. The flesh of the shark is high in neurotoxins—despite this, the Inuktitut consider the treated flesh a delicacy for for both man and beast. But if the powerful toxins aren’t removed the shark meat can leave sled dogs stumbling “drunk” and unable to stay on their feet.

Citizen Science connection:

Have you seen a shark near where you live? Contribute to the Shark Trust database by reporting your sighting.