Key Takeaways
Jeanne Louise Calment , who lived to the ripeage of 122 , witness incredible milestone in human history , from the unveiling of the Eiffel Tower to the Second Coming of the net . Her farsighted life , traverse well over a century , is a testament to human resilience and length of service .
But 122 years is just a starting point in the creature kingdom , where the world’slongest - survive animalhas live for hundreds of yr . Yes , you read that right wing .
Within the diverse home ground of our planet , from the deepest sea to the ancient lands , reside creatures whose spirit cycles extend far beyond what we ’ve come to await in human life .
World’s Longest Living Mammal: The Bowhead Whale
Thebowhead whale(Balaena mysticetus ) , also known as the Arctic heavyweight , is a baleen whale species belonging to the familyBalaenidae . Native toArcticand sub - Arctic waters , this metal money is characterized by its massive fore - shaped head , which accounts for about one - third of its body length .
Notably , this giant mintage is among the longest - lived mammal onEarth , with some individuals trust to be over 200 years old . But how do we determine their exact age ?
Their scars .
The bowhead whale ’s lifespan has been support by the discovery of antique harpoon points embedded in the blubber of living individuals , some of which date back to the 1800s . Their remarkable seniority is assign to their slow growth rate and the cold Arctic piss they populate , which may put up to reduced metabolic rate and slower cellular aging .
Despite their longevity and impressive size , reaching up to 60 understructure ( 18 meters ) in length and weighing as much as 100 tons ( 90 measured MT ) , bowheads have faced significant threats from commercial whaling in the past .
Today , they are protect under various conservation statutes . However , they rest listed as " least business organisation " by theIUCN , with on-going concerns aboutclimate changeand diminishing Arctic ice impacting their natural habitat .
Oldest Living Land Animal: Seychelles Giant Tortoise
The oldest known telluric brute is " Jonathan , " aSeychelles gargantuan tortoise(Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa ) , believed to have been born around 1832 . This makes him over 190 years quondam .
The geriatric giant tortoise shack on the island of Saint Helena , a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean , where he has become a noted flesh and middling of a local icon thanks to his seniority and Guinness World Recordstatus .
Jonathan was bring to Saint Helena from the Seychelles in 1882 and has lived on the grounds of Plantation House , the official residence of the Governor of Saint Helena , ever since . His longevity is attributed to the forethought he receive , the modest clime of the island , and the specie ' course farseeing lifespan .
Despite his age , Jonathan has keep much of his health , although , like many aged creature , he has confront some age - relate challenge , including loss of vision and a reduced good sense of smell . However , his caregivers insure he keep a nutrient diet and continues to enjoy a relatively dynamic lifestyle for a tortoise his age .
Jonathan ’s remarkable age has made him a subject of interest among scientists and the general populace , offer valuable insight into the care and length of service of jumbo tortoises .
Longest Living Fish: The Greenland Shark
The Greenland shark ( Somniosus microcephalus ) currently holds the Guinness World Records title for thelongest lifespan for a vertebrateknown to science . This noteworthy species , get in the main in the moth-eaten , deep water of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans , has an estimate lifespan of over 250 years , with some individuals possiblyliving up to 500 age .
Studies that have examined the eye lens system nuclei ofGreenland sharkshave provide insight into their over-the-top longevity . These analyses require carbon 14 dating of the eye tissue paper , which has revealed that these sharks uprise fabulously tardily and reach intimate due date only at around 150 year of years .
The shark ’s utmost longevity is believe to be linked to their slow metamorphosis and the cold environs in which they live , which may contribute to a sluggish age process compared to other species .
The length of service of Greenland sharks outmatch that of other long - inhabit vertebrates , such as bowhead whales and certain tortoise species .
Longest Living Animal on Record: Ocean Quahog Clam
The long - populate animal ever recorded is a clam known as theocean quahog(Arctica islandica ) . One individual , nicknamed " Ming , " holds theGuinness World Recordfor the oldest non - compound animate being ever discover .
Ming was found in the waters off the coast of Iceland in 2006 , and through carbon copy dating of its cuticle , scientists determined that it was around 507 years old at its uncovering . This mean Ming was hold around the year 1499 .
The eld of ocean round clam is determined by counting the development rings on their shells , much like counting the increment rings of a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree to determine its age . Tragically , Ming ’s life history wasinadvertently cut shortby scientist look for to define her long time .
Unaware of her particular longevity , they opened her racing shell for mundane psychoanalysis — a received procedure in their research — which unfortunately lead in Ming ’s demise .
The clam was bring up " Ming " in computer address to theme Dynasty , which was in power when she was born . This incident underscored the delicate balance between scientific inquiry and preserve ancient life form .
Oldest Living Wild Bird: Laysan Albatross
Wisdom , a Laysan albatross ( Phoebastria immutabilis),holds the titleof the oldest known wild bird , as key out by researchers . Scientists first band her in 1956 at Midway Atoll , located in the North Pacific Ocean .
Because she was already incubating ballock at that time , scientist estimated that she was at least five year old , which is the earliest age at whichLaysan albatrossestypically begin to breed . This makesWisdom over 70 years honest-to-god , and remarkably , she continues to return to Midway Atoll to breed and successfully hatch chicks almost every yr .
These bird are have sex for their impressive longevity , but Wisdom has surpassed the typical lifespan expected for her coinage . Her continued fertility and ability to raise skirt at such an in advance years have ply worthful perceptivity into the biology and ecology of seabird , challenging previous intellect of avian ageing and reproductive potential .
Wisdom ’s extraordinary life has been closely monitored by theUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service , which has made her an picture of conservation and wildlife inquiry . Her resilience , particularly in the face of environmental changes and human impacts on the oceans and sea bird populations , tender Bob Hope and stirring for preservation efforts worldwide .
Longest Living Animal: Immortal Jellyfish
This sea creature pack the crown as Earth ’s foresightful - living creature , as it can potentially experience eternally . Scientifically known asTurritopsis dohrnii , theimmortal jellyfishis a little maritime species renowned for its power to revert to its jejune polypus stage after hand maturity , potentially allowing it to bypass death and reach a form of biologic immortality .
Its uniquesurvival abilityis typically deployed when the creature faces stressors such as injury or deficiency of nutrient . The process enable it to readjust its life bike and produce genetically superposable offspring . This trait has result to its sobriquet and fascinated scientists since its discovery in the 1990s .
This effective prison cell recycling mechanism is a essential focus in stem cellular telephone research , offering potential pathways for replacing cells damage by disease .
4 More Long-living Sea Animals
We ’ve research some of the ocean ’s long - lived inhabitants , like the Greenland shark , bowhead whale and ocean quahog , but they are n’t the only nautical marvels with long life .
1. Antarctic Sponges
The Antarcticglass spongeis a deep - ocean being with a skeleton made of silica , forming intricate , glass - corresponding social system .
repose in the frigid depths of the sea floor around Antarctica , these glass sponges are believed to be the oldest living marine organisms , with estimate suggesting they could be over 10,000 years old .
2. Red Sea Urchins (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus)
set up along the Pacific Ocean coast of North America , the red sea urchin is a long - live nautical species experience for its spiny exterior and ability to inhabit for more than 200 years . Theurchin ’s longevityis tax by analyzing growth anchor ring consanguineal to those in tree trunks .
3. Deep-sea Tube Worms (Riftia pachyptila and Others)
Deep - ocean tube worms are unique organisms that thrive near hydrothermal vents on the sea floor , lacking a digestive scheme and swear on symbiotic bacteria for nutrition .
These wormscan have life stretch over 250 long time , a will to their resiliency in the extreme conditions of the deep ocean .
4. Orange Roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus)
This deep - sea Pisces is known to live for over 200 years . However , its slow growth and late due date make it peculiarly vulnerable to overfishing , posing significant preservation concerns . This species is considered"Vulnerable " by the IUCN .
4 More Long-living Land Animals
We ’ve covered the ocean , so let ’s look at the universe ’s longest - living animals who roam around on land , like our honest-to-god pal Jonathan , the Seychelles behemoth tortoise .
1. Galápagos Tortoises
Thesetortoisesare renowned for their farseeing lifespans , with many individuals live over 100 years and some reported to be more than 150 years old . Their boring metabolism and island lifestyle are vital factor in their extended lifespans .
2. Tuatara
This reptile , indigenous to New Zealand , bear out for its potential to live over 100 years , with some unverified call of Sphenodon punctatum reachingup to 200 age .
The reptile ’s singular biological characteristics , including a third " parietal " center on its brow and specific physiologic and metabolic traits , contribute to its length of service .
3. Asian Elephants
In the wild , Asian elephantscan live 60 to 70 geezerhood , but under human care in captivity , they cansurpass 80 years . Their size and social structure — along with human protective cover from predators and provision of aesculapian care — play roles in their seniority .
4. Macaws and Parrots
Known for their vivid colors and intelligence activity , some mintage of macaws and parrot , like thehyacinth macawandgrey parrot , can live beyond 50 years in the wild and up to 80 years in captivity , making them among the longest - lived bird species .
This article was updated in conjunction with AI technology , then fact - checked and blue-pencil by a HowStuffWorks editor in chief .
