Top 10 Longest Living Animals
Here is a list of the top 10 longest-living animals:
1. Galapagos Giant Tortoise (Chelonoidis niger)
- The Galapagos tortoise is a species of tortoise found on the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
- It has a lifespan of up to 152 years, making it one of the longest-living reptiles. The Galapagos tortoise has a slow metabolism and a low rate of cell division, which helps to protect it against the effects of ageing. Its ability to regulate its body temperature also helps to protect it against the harsh conditions of its environment.
- Also, Galapagos tortoises are among the world’s largest tortoises, where an average Galapagos male tortoise can weigh more than 500 pounds (227 kilograms), and an average female tortoise weighs about 250 pounds (113 kilograms).
- Galapagos tortoises have a prolonged metabolic rate, making them highly resistant to starvation and diseases. They can live up to a year without food or water.
- In addition, Galapagos tortoises have a slow pace of life, munching on grass and other vegetation and basking in the sun for up to 16 hours a day.
2. Red Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus)
- This species of sea urchin can live for over 30 years and is known for its ability to regenerate its spines.
- They are found in the Pacific Ocean, from northern Japan and Alaska to Baja California.
- They have hard, spiny shell that protects them from predators.
- Red sea urchins feed on algae and other small organisms and have a unique feeding mechanism that allows them to consume large amounts of food quickly.
3. Rougheye Rockfish (Sebastes Aleutians)
- The rough rockfish is a species of fish found in the North Pacific Ocean specifically from Japan’s coast to the Aleutian islands.
- It has a lifespan of up to 205 years, making it one of the longest-living fish species.
- The rough-eye rockfish has a slow growth rate and low metabolism, which helps to protect it against the effects of ageing.
- It is also well adapted to its deep-water habitat, which helps to protect it from predation and other threats.
- They can grow up to 97 centimetres (38 inches) in length.
- Rougheye rockfishes have large eyes, which helps them to see in the low light conditions of the deep sea.
- Rougheye rockfish generally feed on shrimps, crabs, fish, amphipods, and mysids. They are considered an important species for deep-sea commercial fishing.
4. Bowhead Whale (Balaena mysticetus)
- The bowhead whale is a species of whale found in the Arctic and sub-Arctic waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans.
- It has a lifespan of up to 211 years, making it one of the longest-living mammals.
- The bowhead whale has a low metabolism and is well adapted to its harsh Arctic environment, which helps to protect it against the effects of ageing.
- Bowhead whales have a thick layer of blubber (blubber is a thick layer of fat) which protects them from the cold and helps them store energy for long periods of fasting.
- In addition, bowhead whales, with their giant skulls and muscular bodies, can break through sea ice up to 7 inches thick.
- Bowhead whales can grow up to 60 feet long and weigh up to 100 tons!
5. Ocean Quahog (Arctica islandica)
- The ocean quahog, also known as the arctic clam, is a species of bivalve mollusc found in the North Atlantic Ocean.
- It has a lifespan of up to 500 years, making it the longest-living non-colonial species.
- They have slow metabolism rates, which allows them to stay without food longer.
- Ocean Quahogs have a hard, dark-coloured shell that protects them from predators.
- Moreover, Ocean quahogs are filter feeders (Filter Feeders are animals that feed by straining suspended matter and food particles from water) that bury themselves in the ocean floor and pump oxygen-filled water and plankton into their bodies.
6. Greenland Shark (Somniosus microcephalus)
- The Greenland shark is a species of shark found in the North Atlantic Ocean.
- It has a lifespan of up to 400 years, making it one of the longest-living vertebrates.
- The slow growth rate and low metabolism of the Greenland shark contribute to its longevity. It is also a slow-moving species that is not actively hunted by humans, which helps to protect it from harm.
- These slow-moving shark species move at an average rate of 0.76mph (miles per hour).
- They have a unique anti-freeze protein that prevents their blood from freezing in sub-zero temperatures.
- Greenland sharks feed on a variety of fishes, squids, and carrion. They are even found to eat polar bears, horses, and reindeer.
7. Koi (Cyprinus carpio)
- Koi, also known as the Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio), is a species of freshwater fish that is native to East Asia.
- It is a popular species for ornamental pond keeping and is known for its striking colours and patterns.
- In terms of lifespan, Koi are known for their longevity, with some individuals living for over 50 years and even up to 200 years in some reports.
- Factors that can affect the lifespan of Koi include genetics, water quality, diet, and living conditions.
- Koi have a reputation for being hardy fish that can adapt to different environments, but they still require proper care to thrive.
8. African Elephant
- African Elephants are the largest living land animals and have an average lifespan of 70-80 years.
- They are native to sub-Saharan African countries and found in various habitats, including savannas, grasslands, and forests.
- African elephants are herbivores and feed on a variety of plants, grasses, fruits, and vegetables.
- Today, African elephants are in danger due to threats of habitat loss and poaching for their ivory tusks which are in demand worldwide.
9. Longfin Eel (Anguilla dieffenbachii)
- Longfin Eel (Anguilla dieffenbachia), also known as the New Zealand Longfin Eel, is a species of eel that is native to New Zealand and the Chatham Islands.
- It is the largest species of eel in the world, with females capable of growing up to 2 meters in length and weighing over 20 kg.
- Longfin Eels have a lifespan that can last up to 100 years, making them one of the longest-lived species of fish.
- They have a unique life cycle, spending most of their lives in freshwater rivers and streams before migrating to the ocean to spawn and die.
10. Antarctic Sponge
- Antarctic Sponge lives for a record 5000-15000 years; they are practically considered immortal.
- They live so long due to their prolonged growth and cold natural habitat.
- Antarctic Sponge lives in the polar climate of Antarctica.
- They have prolonged metabolic rates and grow only 0.2 mm in length annually.
- Moreover, Antarctic Sponges are sessile organisms, meaning they do not move around. They are filter feeders and filter small particles of food, such as plankton, out of water that flows into their bodies.
- They have a porous structure that allows water to flow through their bodies, which they use to filter out food particles. They also have a unique adaptation to the cold Antarctic environment, as they are able to survive in freezing water temperatures.