Could Nessie be a Greenland or a basking shark?

Two exceptionally large Arctic sharks ply northern waters -- Greenland sharks and the Pacific sleeper sharks. During the last few years, scientists have documented Greenland sharks using the St. Lawrence Seaway, lending further credence to the hypothesis that some sharks can survive in freshwater. read more

UPDATE: Check out the comments section for more information regarding Greenland sharks in St. Lawrence Seaway and maximum weight recorded for a Greenland shark. Thanks to Jeffrey Gallant of GEERG. read more

According to my guide, our shark was a small example: they’ve been seen almost twice as large in these waters, and at one time represented a substantial fishery, with many thousands being landed in the 1940s. Taken for their oily livers, which can make up a quarter of the fish’s weight, basking shark numbers dwindled. read more

The discovery places the lifespan of the Greenland shark far ahead of even the oldest elephant in captivity, Lin Wang, who died aged 86. It is also far longer than the official record for humans, held by 122-year-old Frenchwoman Jeanne Louise Calment. read more