SHARK VS SHARK

Greenland sharkvsTiger shark

Length, weight and bite evidence—plus context from a human, city bus and blue whale. Every number below carries its uncertainty with it.

LivingSomniosus microcephalus×LivingGaleocerdo cuvier
QUICK VERDICT

Greenland shark is about 1.16× longer by these reference values.

Greenland shark uses a 6.4 m upper reference, compared with 5.5 m for Tiger shark. Greenland shark's weight reference is about 1.14× heavier.

01

ON THE SAME SCALE

Human. Bus. Whale.
Pick your reference.

RELATIVE LENGTH · 0–24 METERS
AGreenland sharkconfirmed to about 6.4 m / 21 ft
BTiger sharklargest specimens exceed 5.5 m / 18 ft
REFAdult human1.8 m · about 80 kg

Length bars use upper comparison values and do not show body depth, tail proportion or typical adult size. A long thresher tail, for example, does not equal whale-shark body mass.

02

THE NUMBERS

Side by side.

MeasureGreenland sharkTiger shark
Length referenceconfirmed to about 6.4 m / 21 ftlargest specimens exceed 5.5 m / 18 ft
Weight referencereported to about 1,023 kg / 2,255 lbexceptional estimate over 900 kg / 2,000 lb
Bite forceNo reliable published estimateUnknownNo dependable maximum foundUnknown
HabitatCold North Atlantic and Arctic watersTropical and warm-temperate seas
DietFish, carrion and marine mammalsTurtles, fishes, birds, carrion and more
03

WHAT THE DATA CAN SAY

Size is not the whole animal.

Length and weight

Greenland shark is represented by confirmed to about 6.4 m / 21 ft; Tiger shark by largest specimens exceed 5.5 m / 18 ft. Age and upper mass involve uncertainty; length is better documented. Both values describe exceptional animals, not an average adult.

Bite evidence

Greenland shark: TuffShark found no defensible species-level bite-force estimate to display. Tiger shark: Popular figures are often repeated without a traceable species-level method.

Living versus extinct

Both species are living, but record-sized individuals are rare. These upper references should not be read as normal adult size.

Ecology changes the matchup

The age estimate is extraordinary; a dependable bite-force figure is not available. Its broad diet is real; an exact maximum bite number is not well established.

04

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Greenland sharkNOAA Ocean ServiceTiger sharkFlorida MuseumHow we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →