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Photo

On the trail of Greenland sharks

Peter Bushnell and his team have been travelling to the icy reaches of Greenland to learn more about one of the most mysterious and ancient sharks.

The Arctic Station was where we lived during the expedition This station was established in 1906 and is owned by the University of Copenhagen, Denmark It is situated right outside the small Greenland village called Qeqertarsuaq, which can be translated into ‘Big Island’ The village was founded by whale hunters 250 years ago and is today inhabited by approximately 1,000 people. © Photo by Julius Nielsen
A bird’s-eye view of the working situation when a Greenland shark is being captured Notice the shark is ‘lying’ on its dorsal side This is the normal behaviour of a Greenland sharks when caught and illustrates its docile behaviour even under these circumstances Professor John Steffensen of the University of Copenhagen and Professor Peter Bushnell will quickly attach satellite tags, releasing the shark shortly afterwards. © Photo by Julius Nielsen
A female Greenland shark, 2.9 metres in length, with three satellite tags attached As these sharks mostly occupy waters where no light is available, measurements of light intensity at a certain depth at a certain time cannot be used to estimate the geo-location (as it can, for example, with tunas) To enable researchers to learn more about Greenland shark migration routes, three tags mounted on the sharks release at different times. Photo © Julius Nielsen
John and Peter enjoy the cosiness of the wheelhouse after tagging two sharks caught on the same line. © Photo by Julius Nielsen
Two satellite tags (PSATs) that are programmed to drop off a shark after six months The tags will then float to the surface and start transmitting data about the whereabouts of the shark Geo-location, depth and temperature are especially of interest We also deploy small plastic tags with an identification number that will enable us to evaluate, for example, growth if the shark is captured again either by us or by a local fisherman. © Photo by Julius Nielsen
Drifting ice floats and large icebergs were abundant in the area where we were fishing Though they made the scenery very photographic, the ice posed a constant threat to our long-lines. © Photo by Julius Nielsen
View of the southern coast of Disko Island Drift ice was finally starting to disappear at the end of the trip. © Photo by Julius Nielsen
Many birds migrate to Greenland in spring to breed, as there are few terrestrial predators and good feeding grounds This Canada goose has just arrived on the large grass meadow in front of the Arctic Station, where small ponds soon will appear as the snow melts. © Photo by Julius Nielsen
A bowhead whale surfaces near our boat These whales are frequently seen in this part of Greenland in spring, but they will soon migrate towards Arctic Canada The whales seen on this trip will be back in the Disko Bay area in four years It is possible that Greenland sharks also return to this area after being away for several years. © Photo by Julius Nielsen
A large Greenland shark lying calmly in the water during handling If the shark begins to roll around, tension on the hook line is reduced to prevent the hook from damaging the animal’s jaws The tail rope then becomes curled, but still keeps the shark fixed without damaging it. © Photo by Julius Nielsen
A Greenland shark in clear water Notice the distinct parasitic copepod attached to the cornea of its eye It has been speculated that the copepod may be beneficial to the shark as it could act as a lure, attracting prey. © Photo by Julius Nielsen