The Longest Living Animals in the World Revealed
The animal kingdom is full of fascinating creatures that have all sorts of unique adaptations and attributes, helping them to survive their habitats. Some animals can live for hundreds of years, thanks to the likes of slower metabolism and better DNA repair mechanisms.
With this in mind, here we’ll look more closely at some of the animals that live the longest and what the secrets are to their astonishing longevity, from sharks and whales to tortoises and tuatara.
Which animals live the longest?
The animals listed below have impressive lifespans, far outliving humans thanks to their unique features and survival methods.
Ocean quahog
The ocean quahog (Arctica islandica) is a species of clam, native to the North Atlantic Ocean and found at least 400 metres underwater, buried in the sandy seabeds. It’s one the longest-living animals known to man, dating back to the Jurassic. Many populations of this clam can reach well over 100 years old, with a certain specimen found in 2006 that was over 500 years old!
Ocean quahogs have been found to have something called negligible senescence, which means they don’t know typical signs of aging. This means they don’t typically die from old age, and have slow metabolisms and reduced oxidative stress.
Coral
You might think corals are plants, but they are actually marine invertebrates. They typically form colonies of individual polyps, with species including important reef builders that help to provide shelter and food for many marine species. You can find coral all over the world, and it’s lifespan can depend on the species and environment.
However, colonies can survive for hundreds to thousands of years. Deep-sea corals in particular grow very slowly, and can also reproduce asexually and continuously build colonies. This means some reefs have been actively growing for thousands of years. So, even if individual polyps die, others grow to enable the colony to survive.
Greenland shark
Greenland sharks are an ancient shark species native to the cold Atlantic waters of Greenland, Iceland and the Arctic, but they have also been found as far as the Caribbean. It’s the world’s longest living vertebrate, and is also one of the slowest sharks out there.
Scientists have discovered that these sharks have a life expectancy of up to 400 years, and don’t even reach reproductive age until they are around 150! As well as this, Greenland sharks grow incredibly slowly, and have a slow metabolism to help them adapt to the cold waters they call home.
Bowhead whale
The bowhead whale is the longest living mammal on earth, and are a type of baleen whale which means they have baleen plates to sieve plankton from the water. They live almost exclusively in the Arctic and grow to around 15 metres in length.
Bowhead whales have the thickest blubber coating of any sea mammal, and have incredible strength that allows them to break through sea ice as thick as 20cm. They are thought to live over 200 years, thanks to their ability to repair DNA damage and cancer-fighting proteins, not to mention their slow metabolism that’s required for life in the Arctic.
Glass sponge
Glass sponges are named for the glass-like skeletal structures, and are typically found in the deep ocean ranges. Their tissues actually contain glass-like particles name of silica. Some species of glass sponges can fuse together and often live attached to hard surfaces, providing shelter for other species.
They are particularly abundant in the Antarctic and North Pacific, and have been known to live over 10,000 years. Their longevity is attributed to slow metabolism and a lack of natural predators, as well as their structural integrity.
Red sea urchin
The red sea urchin is usually found across the Pacific Ocean, living in rocky, shallow waters. It’s a spiny marine invertebrate and are the largest of the sea urchin species, growing to around 20cm in diameter.
They can live for over 100 years, and are another species that exhibit negligible senescence. They have the incredible abilities to maintain tissue health and resist disease, giving them the tools for a long and healthy life.
Giant tortoise
The giant tortoise is a species from the Galápagos Islands, and are also found in the Seychelles and Mauritius. They are the largest living tortoises in the world, and are known for living to around 150 years. An Aldabra giant tortoise was found to be around 255 years old when he died in 2006.
They are known for their slow metabolism and high resistance to disease.
Tuatara
The tuatara is a type of reptile found in New Zealand. They are related to lizards and are considered living fossils as they have been around even before the dinosaurs. Tuataras have one of the slowest growth rates of reptiles, reaching reproductive age at 20 and full length at 30 years old.
While the average lifespan is around 60 years old, many will reach over the age of 100. Tuataras have adapted to New Zealand’s cool environment, with the lowest optimal body temperature of any reptile. This helps to slow down the tuatara’s internal processes and slows down the rate of cellular damage. They also have specialised proteins that play a role in DNA repair to protect against ageing.
Can animals live forever?
As we’ve mentioned, some species simply won’t die from old age, instead regenerating and repairing to avoid their end.
Immortal jellyfish
The immortal jellyfish has the incredible ability to reverse its ageing process and revert to its juvenile form. It undergoes a process known as transdifferentiation, allowing the jellyfish to transform its adult cells to avoid unfavourable environmental conditions, stress or the end of its lifecycle.
Hydra
Hydra are very simple creatures, a type of Hydrozoa. They belong to the same phylum as jellyfish and sea anemones, and are typically found in freshwater habitats around the world. They have no heart, brain or eyes.
Despite this, their strangest quality is the ability to procreate and regenerate. Hydra can grow from other bodies, and will rebuild as an entire organism from small tissue fragments.
So, there you have it, a look at some of the longest-living creatures from across the world. Looking for more from Blue Planet Aquarium? Head to the blog for more fun features and guides. To plan your visit to our aquarium, visit the homepage.
