(WILDLIFE/AMAZING ANIMALS) The average lifespan for a man is 71 years, whereas the average lifespan for a woman is 73.5 years. But can you believe there are animals who have outlived humans by over a hundred years, and sometimes even longer?
Check out these five animals who have found the secret to living a long and healthy life.
1. The 183-year-old tortoise
Jonathan, the longest-living tortoise, lived to the incredible age of 183. Tortoises are well-known for living long lives. Their lives tend to be so long that their average life expectancy is 150 years old–more than twice as long as human lives.
Tortoises are also very adaptable animals–so adaptable that Galapagos tortoises have gone up to a year without food and water due to their sedentary lifestyle.
Jonathan is a Seychelles giant tortoise, but he may not be the oldest tortoise who ever lived. Adwaita, an Aldabra giant tortoise living in India, was believed to be 250 years old at the time of her death.
2. The 140-year-old lobster
In 2009, scientists found a 20-pound lobster around 140 years old. Lobsters have the incredible ability to regenerate their limbs after close encounters with predators, which could be a major reason why they are able to live such long lives.
Scientists believe the age of a lobster can be determined by measuring their size and counting the number of rings on their eyestalks.
3. The 86-year-old elephant
Lin Wang, the longest-living elephant in the world on record, was estimated to be 86 years old at the time of her death.
Asian elephants have been found to live much longer lives in the wild than in captivity. The average lifespan of a wild Asian elephant is 42 years, whereas the average lifespan of an Asian elephant in captivity is 19 years.
4. The 103-year-old killer whale
The oldest recorded killer whale in history was named Granny, born in 1911.
Killer whales can live anywhere from 50 to 80 years in the wild, some reaching up to 32 feet long. Seals, squids, and seabirds are in incredible danger when a pack of foraging whales are on the hunt, with some herds reaching up to 40 whales or more.
5. The 507-year-old ocean quahog
The oldest-living clam on record, Ming, was around 507 years old at the time of his death. But unfortunately, the mollusk died prematurely when researchers opened and examined the shell to determine his age.
The age of a clam is based on the number of growth rings they have, and they are the longest-living animals in the world, with an average lifespan of 300 years.
— Sabrina Clinkenbeard, exclusive to Global Animal
