The Longest Living Animals
Are there any animals that live for hundreds or even thousands of years? Which animals can do that? How do animals get so old? In this article you will find a list with all records and exciting explanations! Even though we often survive our pets, humans do not at all have the highest life expectancy of all animals. Turtles, whales, birds, and elephants – only to name a few – can get much older than us. But let's take a look at the following table first:
The Longest Living Animals in the World
| Category | Animal | Life Expectancy |
|---|---|---|
| Oldest animal | Giant sponge A. joubini | 10.000 years |
| Oldest coral | Black coral Leipathes | 4.265 years |
| Oldest mussel | Black clam "Ming" | 507 years |
| Oldest turtle | Aldabra giant tortoise "Adwaita" | 256 years |
| Oldest koi | "Hanako" | 225 years |
| Oldest whale | Bowhead whale * | 200 years |
| Oldest urchin | Species M. franciscanus | 200 years |
| Oldest fish | Greenland shark | 272 years ** |
| Oldest crab | Lobster "George" | 140 years |
| Oldest tuatara | "Henry" | 111 years |
| Oldest orca | "Granny" | 103 years |
| Oldest elephant | "Lin Wang" | 86 years |
| Oldest flamingo | "Greater" | 83 years |
| Oldest cockatoo | "Cooie" | 83 years |
| Oldest Andean condor | "Thaoo" | 80 Years |
| Oldest albatross | "Wisdom" | 63 years |
| Oldest horse | "Ol' Billy" | 62 years |
| Oldest seal | Ringed seal | 43 years |
| Oldest snake | Boa Constrictor | 40 years |
| Oldest cat | "Creme Puff" | 38 years |
| Oldest wombat | "Wain" | 32 years |
| Oldest dog | "Bluey" | 29 years |
| Oldest dog (vegetarian) | "Bramble" | 27 years |
| Oldest hedgehog | "Thorvald" | 16 years |
(Valid: February 2023)
* In 2007, a bowhead whale was discovered with the tip of a harpoon from 1880 in its body. It has been swimming around with this piece of metal for 120 years.
** Could be 512 years as well; scientists are unsure about this
The Oldest Animal in the World, Still Living
The oldest giant sponge (yes, it is also an animal) is still alive and kicking. Meanwhile it has reached an age of more than 10,000 years. The sponge belongs to the species A. joubini and lives on the ground of the Antarctic Ocean. It was discovered during an expedition in the years 1908-1910. Yet, the exact age of the animal is still controversial.
How Do Animals Get That Old?
Scientists are particularly interested to find out how animals can get that old. They hope to use their findings to prolong our lives as well. So far there are no detailed insights, but only some hints. The size and the activity of an animal seem to matter. The bigger and less active, the older the animal can get. Big animals often have less enemies and prefer food that does not move too quickly. A bowhead whale just unhurriedly swims through the ocean and filters food from the water. Giant tortoises also do not have a lot of action when munching away on the grass from the ground. Not an exciting life, but a long one.
Example: Tortoises
Domestic tortoises can get between 60 and 80 years old. This makes us wonder how to provide for them in the future, when we are gone. This was even more difficult with the female radiated tortoise Tu'i Mailia. She stayed with the royal family of Tonga and obviously enjoyed such a good life there that she reached an incredible age of 188 years.
When she died in 1965, the giant tortoise Harriet seemed to hold the record as the oldest tortoise. She was born in 1830 and died at the age of 176 years in 2006. Shortly after her death it became known that Harriet’s male conspecific Adwaita, which had been living on the Seychelles, was even older and died at the age of 256 years in 2006.
The Oldest Human Being
The average life expectancy in Germany is about 80 years. Currently, the French lady Jeanne Calment is the oldest human being that has ever lived. She lived from 1875 to 1997 and became 122 years old. At the age of 85 she started to learn fencing. You are never too old to start something new! At the age of 100 years, Jeanne still rode on her bicycle. Well done!
