Did you know that Jonathan was a giant Sehechelles turtle born in 1832 and is still alive today? At the age of 191, he regarded the record as the oldest terrestrial animal in the world. His incredible life span fascinates scientists and animal lovers.
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But Jonathan isn’t the only creature with an impressive life. Many animals live a century away, and some seem to ignore aging.
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Ocean Quahog is a clam that can live for more than 500 years. One of the oldest records is 507 years old! Then there is the Greenland shark that can survive for more than 400 years, making it the longest vertebrate on Earth.
What is even more surprising is that some jellyfish species, such as turritopsis dohrniibiologically immortal, meaning they can be restored to the teenage stage and may survive forever.
In this article, we will reveal the longest living creatures on Earth, their secrets of longevity and what we can learn from them.
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List of the longest-lived animals: Top 5 creatures over 100 years
Some animals can live for more than a century, ignoring time itself. According to the International Animal Welfare Foundation, it is the top ten longest creatures on the planet.
1) Glass sponge: 10,000 years 15,000 years
Source: reddit
Glass sponge is the oldest creature in the world. Glass sponges (hexagons) are deep-sea animals with silica, glassy fragrances that form complex skeletons. Some people will create “glass houses” that remain intact after death.
Their bones and chemicals help defend against predators, although some starfish still feed on them. They attach to hard surfaces, filtering bacteria and plankton while providing shelter for others.
According to scientists, these glass sponge reefs became extinct 40 million years ago, leaving behind large fossil cliffs spanning Spain, France, Germany and Romania. These reefs seem to have passed.
Source: Future
But in 1987, Canadian scientists discovered a 9,000-year-old live glass sponge on the northern coast of British Columbia, the only reef of its kind today. These deep-sea creatures can live up to over 10,000 years, and up to 15,000 years.
It is believed that the glass sponge found in the Ross Sea in Antarctica is the oldest animal on Earth. Scientists have also discovered a glass sponge bone in the East China Sea, estimated to be 11,000 years old – so old that it may have lived in the last Ice Age.
2) Black Coral: 5,000 years
Source: Lanzarote Villa Selection
Black Coral (Anti-Court) is a dark, deep-sea coral form known for its dark tree-like skeleton. Unlike corals that build reefs, it lacks symbiotic algae and thrives in deep waters. Its flexible black skeleton has been used in jewelry, but overdosed some species are endangered.
To your surprise, two of the oldest corals were found in the deep oceans of Hawaii. In addition, there is a golden coral with an estimated lifespan of up to 2,740 years, while black corals are estimated to live up to 4,270 years.
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Golden corals are rare and slow-growing deep-sea corals, found mainly in the Pacific Ocean, especially near Hawaii. Some golden corals, such as Gerardia, can live for thousands of years, making them one of the longest-lived marine creatures.
Black corals provide shelter for many marine life and can survive for thousands of years, with some of the specimens estimated to be over 4,000 years old, making it one of the longest-standing marine life.
3) Giant barrel sponge: 2300 years
Source: American Ocean
Giant barrel sponge (XESTOSPONGIA MUTA) is one of the largest and longest sponges in the ocean. It is found in the Caribbean Sea and surrounding tropical waters, and its barrel-shaped structure can be 6 feet (1.8 meters).
It is estimated that some giant barrel sponges have been around for more than 200 years, making them one of the oldest animals in the ocean. Due to their size and lifespan, they are often referred to as “rocky wood”.
Some people near Key Largo, Florida have found one of the longest giant barrel sponges that may have lived for over 2,300 years. This means that they began their lives during the Roman Empire.
These sponges play a vital role in marine ecosystems by filtering large amounts of water, removing bacteria and providing shelter for various marine species.
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4) Greenland Shark: 500 years
Source: Shark Angel
Greenland is the largest island in the world, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Ocean, eastern Canada and northwest Europe. The island is known for its Arctic climate, stunning glaciers and unique wildlife, including polar bears and whales.
But there are more; it is also home to Greenland sharks, one of the largest cartilage fishes. This means that Greenland sharks are the longest-lived vertebrate in the world.
A female Greenland shark has reached her sexual maturity at the age of 156 and since then she is ready to breed and welcomes puppies into the world.
Source: Forbes
These sharks can live up to 500 years and are considered on the top predators list. The sharks weigh 1,000 kg (2200 lbs) and have a maximum length of 6.4 m (21 ft).
These are also called Gurry sharks or grey sharks, and to your surprise, their meat is considered poisonous to mammals due to their high levels of trimethylamine N-oxide. In Iceland, they process the form they are eaten as a delicious delicacy called Kæstur Hákarl.
The reason they live a long lifespan is that these sharks thrive in the cold waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic Seas, which may slow down their metabolic and biochemical activities, thereby extending their lifespan.
5) Rougheye Rockfish: More than 200 years
Source: UPI
Rougheye Rockfish is a special deep-water fish. They live in the North Pacific, from Japan to California. They prefer cold deep water, usually between 500 and 2,000 feet. These fish can grow up to 3 feet long. They have red pink colors with dark spots.
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The oldest Rougheye Rockfish is 205 years old. It was captured in Alaska in 1993. Scientists figure out their age by calculating the growth rings of their ear bones (such as tree rings).
Source: Fish Academy
Rougheye Rockfish belongs to Sebastes Rockfish. There are over 100 rock fish species, but Rougheye desires longevity. They eat shrimp, crabs and small fish. Unlike many fish, they do not lay eggs – they give birth to living babies.
These fish grow slowly. They won’t rush to get bigger. Their longevity helps them survive in the difficult and deep seas. Fishermen grab their food, but pay attention to their numbers to ensure they are safe.
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Other animals with the longest lifespan
Source: Vajiram & Ravi
Although many animals have lived for more than 100 years, such as certain turtles, they have lived for more than 100 years. One such example is the Aldabra giant turtle, one of the largest turtles in the world and native to Seychelles.
It can usually last up to 150 years and weighs up to 250 kg (550 lbs). The 250-year-old Addawaita, one of these giant Aldabra tortoises, was imprisoned in India and died in 2006.
In addition, the severely endangered radiation tortoise native to Madagascar is known for its long lifespan, usually in the wild for about 50 years.
However, a captive man, Tu’i Malila, reportedly lived until 188. The turtle was born in 1777 and lived in the imperial palace in Tonga until his death in 1966.
Harriet, another famous tortoise, is believed to have hatched around 1830. Harriet lived in the Australian Zoo until he was over 175 years old in 2006.
Source: Animals | How
Similarly, marine Quahogs are aquatic clams that can live up to 225 years. From Newfoundland to North Carolina, these centenarians were found in the North Atlantic Ocean.
They are commercial harvests for human consumption. One amazing thing about them is that they grow very slowly, which means they reach maturity by the age of 6.
Source: New Scientist
The bow whales are also included in the list of 200-year-old creatures. These aquatic mammals live in the icy waters of the Arctic and subarctic oceans and are considered the longest whales and the longest-lived mammals.
The whales did not mate until they were 25 years old. Furthermore, these whales are endangered due to the high level of commercial hunting, which is why they are protected by Cites, the U.S. Endangered Species Act and the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act.
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