Under natural conditions, all animals might not reach their maximum possible age due to various reasons including infant mortality, diseases, predators among others. But today, we discuss the life expectancy of animals under ideal conditions. So, without further ado, let us delve into the top 7 list of the longest living animals.
Aldabra Tortoise
One of the largest species of tortoise mostly seen in the Aldabra island in the Indian Ocean. The giant tortoise can reach upto 3 to 4 feet in length and weighs approximately 350 to 500 pounds. Currently, it is one of the largest species of tortoise on the planet because of the lack of predators and living in isolation for thousands of years. Talking about the appearance, it is dark grey or black coloured. The head is rounded and has a very long neck with stubby legs covered with bony scales. The species has an important role in the ecosystem where it creates new pathways when it is in search of food making it useful for other animals as well. The mating season of the species takes place in between February to May. The species can survive upto 255 years, however, the average age noticed was 80 to 120 years.
Turritopsis Nutricula Jellyfish
This species of jellyfish might be the only one which can ‘bypass death’. Yes! Scientists have deemed this jellyfish to be ‘immortal’ because of its abilities to revert its cells to their earliest form and grow anew when in danger. It is capable of an unbelievable cycle in which it can change or convert itself from a mature adult stage to an immature polyp stage, which virtually means there is no limit to this creature’s lifespan. But in practice, these animals do not always live forever as they are eaten by their predators just like all other animals. It is the longest living animals in the world.
Ocean Quahog
You know how the age of a tree can be deduced by its rings? In the same way, researchers have interpreted that the Ocean Quahog has dark concentric rings or bands on its shell as annual marks from which its age can be determined. Some of these specimens have been collected and its age is supposedly over 400 years. These animals show phenomenal longevity with the highest reported age of this particular species being around 507 years old! That is more than half a century of years!
Red Sea Urchins
A new study conducted recently has discovered that the red sea urchins are among the longest living animals on Earth. Found in the shallow waters of the Pacific Ocean along the west coast of North America these small, spiny invertebrate can live up to 100 years while some may even live to be 200 years old. In fact, an individual red sea urchin born in the year 1805 is believed to be still breeding to this day!
Bowhead Whale
Bowhead whales are the second largest mammals, second only to the gigantic blue whale. The average lifespan of the bowhead whale is around 200 years. While humans may be old for one hundred years, these whales are only middle-aged by then and still have a lot of years to live. Some bowhead whales were found with harpoons still lodged in their flesh which was dated back to over 200 years old! The oldest known bowhead whale was believed to be at least around 210 years old.
Galapagos Giant Tortoise
One of the endemic animals of Galapagos islands, Tortoises are considered to be one of the oldest living creatures on our planet. There was a particular tortoise named Harret, a Galapagos tortoise which lived to be 170 years old which died in the year 2006 due to a heart failure. These species of tortoise can easily for around 100 years. The average tortoise lifespan is believed to be around 150 years. People from all over the globe come to watch these magnificent, resilient creatures on the island of Galapagos.
African Elephant
One of the toughest animals in the world, The African elephant is the world’s largest land mammal and its average weight is around 5 – 7 tons. The average elephant lifespan is around 70 years. But according to the Guinness Book of Records, the oldest elephant lived for 86 years. It is one of the longest living animals in the world. Scientifically known as Loxodonta Africana, The African Elephants are herbivores and eat over three hundred pounds of food daily and spend most of the day (18 hours) searching for food such as grass, plants, and bark to eat. Africa elephants are very thirsty and it is believed that they drink two hundred litres (52.8 gallons) of water at a single time.
