Rare shark washes ashore in the West
Photo from: National Museum of Ireland
The remains of a rare three-metre-long Greenland shark have been successfully recovered from the shoreline in County Sligo - marking the first recorded stranding of this species on the Irish coast.
The National Museum of Ireland said that "the specimen was initially reported by members of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG), who notified them after discovering the animal in a difficult-to-access part of the coast.
The museum continued, "Due to the challenging terrain and the threat posed by incoming tides, an urgent multi-agency response was coordinated with the Regional Veterinary Laboratory Sligo, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Sligo County Council, the Harbour Master, members of the IWDG, and a number of academic and independent researchers.
"The shark is now undergoing a detailed scientific postmortem examination, contributing valuable data to the understanding of this elusive deep-water species. Tissue samples and selected anatomical components are being preserved as part of the National Museum’s scientific collections, ensuring a permanent record of this exceptional specimen."
The Greenland shark, known for its extreme longevity and deep-sea habits, is exceptionally rare in Irish waters, and this stranding represents a significant opportunity for research into its biology, health, and ecology.
