What is the oldest creature on earth. What animals live longer than humans? And now closer to the record holders

Our Earth is full of amazing things. Some discoveries from the animal world cause delight and sincere amazement. At the moment, creatures whose age exceeds more than one hundred years live on the planet. Just imagine the animals or fish that witnessed the reign of Catherine the Great or swam off the coast of the United States at the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. However, they are still alive.

In fact, it is quite difficult to find out the exact age of a living creature living in the wild. However, scientists have developed a number of systems that can estimate the approximate year of birth. Also in zoos or in private property there are individuals whose advanced age is officially confirmed. Information about the number of years lived by some individuals will seem fantastic to many. However, there is an assumption that the oldest animal on the planet has not yet been discovered.

The oldest parrot in the world - Charlie

A huge macaw named Charlie was born in 1899. In 2018 he turns 119 years old. Today the bird belongs to the Englishman Peter Oram, who acquired it in 1965 as a live decoration for his pet shop. Over time, Charlie had to be taken home, as visitors with children complained about the abuse and anti-Nazi insults that the parrot liked to utter.

Charlie the parrot is said to have known Churchill himself

They say that this bird once belonged to Sir Winston Churchill himself - it was he who taught her hard-hitting curses. According to some sources, the prime minister bought a female macaw in 1937. However, Churchill's daughter denied this information in 2004. She said that her family looked through all the historical records and records of her father, but no information about Charlie was found. However, the woman confirmed the presence of a parrot in her family in the 30s. However, it was not a macaw, but an African gray jaco. Some sources claim that the Churchill dynasty denies the living Charlie's connection to the British Prime Minister during the Second World War, so that no one would think that their ancestor could teach a pet such terrible phrases as "Fuck Hitler!" and "Fuck Nazis!". Nevertheless, the sounds made by the bird accurately copy the voice of the British leader of the mid-20th century.

Currently, the oldest female macaw lives in Surrey in southern England.

Sea sponge the size of a minivan

The giant sea sponge is 3.7 meters (12 ft) wide and 2.1 m (7 ft) long. The largest marine invertebrate ever recorded is about the size of a minibus. A deep-sea dweller has been discovered in the waters of the Pacific Ocean between the Hawaiian Islands and Midway Atoll at a depth of 2,100 meters (7,000 feet). Researchers cannot determine the exact date of birth of the sea sponge, but its huge size suggests that the age is measured in millennia.

Huge sea sponge

There is evidence that smaller, similar creatures lived in shallow water for more than 2,300 years. Based on the size of this marine life, it can be argued that he is at least the same age or more. Such assumptions give reason to believe that this creature is the oldest animal in the world.

However, age is not the only secret of the sea sponge the size of a minibus. Scientists have not yet been able to determine what kind of invertebrates the found individual belongs to.

Lobster George

In 2009, a lobster named George received the title of the oldest lobster in the world. His age was about 140 years old. The lobster was caught in December 2008 off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. A few days later, the giant animal was sold to a New York City Crab and Seafood restaurant for $100. The lobster got its name thanks to the little visitors who enjoyed taking pictures with the sea monster.

Lobster George has a tough life

A few days later, the fate of George became known to employees from the animal protection organization - PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). They asked the restaurant owners to return the lobster to its natural habitat. The owners agreed, and 10 days after the capture, George returned to his native waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Based on the size and weight of the animal, experts estimated its age at approximately 140 years.

Another contender for the title of the oldest lobster in the world is 132-year-old Louis. He spent 20 years in the aquarium at Peter's Clam Bar in New York. Butch Yamali, who owns the establishment, has repeatedly received offers from visitors to eat lobster. Once he was offered $1,000 for it. However, the owner decided to pardon the animal and in a solemn ceremony, Louis was released into the wild.

Nameless Greenland shark

The oldest vertebrate animal is the female Greenland shark. Her date of birth falls between 1501 and 1744. Therefore, her age as of 2018 is between 274 and 517 years old. Based on the most conservative calculations, among all the living specimens found, this shark is the oldest vertebrate in the world. Prior to its discovery, the title of the oldest creature with a skeletal system was awarded to a 211-year-old polar whale.

An unnamed female Greenland shark

Scientists have long determined that Greenland sharks have a high life expectancy. However, they could not provide an exact time frame. It is known that individuals grow by one centimeter per year, reaching sexual maturity at the age of 150 years. Their dimensions can be 5 meters. It is possible to determine the number of years lived by a shark after studying the teeth and bone tissue.

To determine the age of living fish, scientists have developed a method based on the study of the eyes. This method was tested on 28 polar sharks that got tangled in trawler fishing nets. Among them was the same nameless Greenland shark. Some marine life died after they were caught. Thanks to this, it was possible to confirm the possibility of determining the age by pupils. There is no information about the further fate of the oldest vertebrate.

Alligator Muje

The oldest Mississippi alligator lives in the Serbian Zoo. His name is Muja. According to experts, the age of the animal exceeds 80 years. In 1937, a couple of years before the outbreak of World War II, the reptile was transported from Germany to Belgrade. At that time, he had already reached puberty. In the new place, the animal survived three severe attacks from the German military forces and the Balkan crisis of the 90s of the last century.

Alligator Muje survived the war

In 1941 and 1944, the strongest air bombardments took place, as a result of which almost all the animals in the zoo were killed. Muje was not injured in any of them. Throughout his life, he was in good health and did not need medical attention. Only in 2012, the right forepaw was amputated in connection with the treatment of gangrene that had formed.

Next on the list of oldest captive crocodiles was the alligator Kabulitis, who until 2007 lived in the Riga Zoo in Latvia. He died of natural causes at the age of 75.

Turtle Jonathan

According to some sources, a male giant tortoise named Jonathan was born in 1832. If this is true, then in 2018 he turned 186 years old. The veterinarian who observes the reptile confirms that Jonathan is at least 160 years old. At the same time, the average life expectancy of turtles of this species is 150 years.

The most famous turtle named Jonathan

In 1882, together with five relatives, the animal was brought to St. Helena, which belongs to the British Empire and is located in the South Atlantic Ocean. From photographs taken during that period, one can study the animal's shell. Based on visual analysis, at that time Jonathan was already at least 50 years old. Since then, the Aldabra tortoise has been living in the official residence of the island's governor.

In 1991, the French consul presented the authorities of the region with a gift - a turtle named Frederic. For 26 years now, Jonathan has been very supportive of a relative, and repeated attempts to mate animals have been noticed. However, Frederica never laid an egg. Recently, her shell was damaged. When examining a reptile, the veterinarian made a sensational discovery. Frederica turned out to be Friedrich. For many years, Jonathan mistakenly believed that a female was in front of him.

Elephant Dakshayani

An Asian elephant named Lin Wang is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest elephant ever to live in the world. Grandpa Lin, as he was affectionately known by the locals, died at a Taiwanese zoo at the age of 86. It is noteworthy that the average lifespan of Indian elephants in the wild is 60 years. Confirmation of Lin Wang's exact age is recorded in many official documents. During the Second World War, the Japanese used the animal to transport artillery pieces and other heavy equipment. In 1943, along with 12 other elephants, the Chinese army captured the mammal. After 11 years, Lin was placed in the Taiwan Zoo, where he remained until his death.

Possibly the oldest elephant on earth

However, this list is dedicated exclusively to currently existing animals. Therefore, the title of the most ancient elephant is given to Dakshayani. It is owned by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), a religious community that runs many of India's famous temples. According to the assurances of people from TDB in 2016, Dakshayani turned 86 years old. That year, they asked the Guinness Book of Records staff to give their pet the title of the oldest elephant in the world. However, no documentary evidence was provided for this claim. Therefore, today these are only oral statements of the owners of the animal.

There are also people in the world who give the palm of the oldest elephant to another Asian mammal. Indriya lived in an Indian sacred temple. According to some reports, he died at the age of 85–90.

Bat Brandt's bat

A 41-year-old male smooth-nosed Brandt's bat lives in Siberia. It is the smallest mammal. Unique is the fact that the animal managed to live to such a venerable age in the wild. For the first time, the future long-liver of the Brandt's bat breed was discovered in a Siberian cave in 1964. Then zoologists studied 1544 individuals of this species. In 2005, to the amazement of experts, a live male bat was found, which was marked by scientists 41 years ago.

Siberian baby mouse

It has been proven that the size of an animal determines its longevity. The smaller the animal, the shorter its existence will be. However, bats have a "longevity" ratio - the ratio of size to life span - of 9.8 units - the highest among mammals. For comparison, in humans, this coefficient is 4.5 with a life expectancy of 112 years. However, not all individuals of this species live so long. Representatives of the night bat living in St. Petersburg do not live up to 9 years.

According to scientists, such a big difference depends on the possibility of falling into many months of hibernation, which can last up to 9 months a year. During this period, all life support systems operate at a slow pace. Another important factor in longevity is the absence of predators.

Albatros Wisdom

The first place in the list of the oldest birds in the world is rightfully occupied by a female albatross named Wisdom (translated from English, Wisdom means “wisdom”). She turned 67 in 2018. It is noteworthy that the average age of dark-mantled albatrosses is 50 years.

An excellently preserved female albatross

In 1956, the seabird was discovered by scientists on Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. Together with her relatives, she was ringed in order to study further migration and life expectancy. At that time, the American ornithologist Chandler Robbins determined her age to be 5 years. The existence of the centenarian became known in 2002, when Wisdom was re-caught. Since then, scientists have annually observed the arrival of a female albatross in the same nest, where she lays another egg.

Not all birds of this species produce offspring every year. But if they do, they usually raise one chick. Old Wisdom managed to give birth to 39 cubs. It is believed that albatrosses are monogamous and live with a single partner all their lives. Analyzing the age of the bird, it can be argued that "Wisdom" survived at least one male.

The oldest killer whale is the killer whale J2, named "Grandma". Presumably she was born in 1911, therefore, in 2018 she turned 107 years old. Together with a group of other whales, it lives in the Pacific Ocean near North America. A population of the dolphin family, led by Grandmother, is annually noticed in the Strait of Georgia, located off the coast of the US state of Washington. For comparison, the average lifespan of a female killer whale in natural conditions is 50 years. However, several cases have been recorded when animals reached 80 years of age.

The real age of Grandmother is still a source of controversy and disagreement.

The grandmother has no identifying markings, but she can be easily identified by the characteristic scar on her fin. It was first discovered in Puget Bay in the inland waters of Washington State in 1967. Killer whales with her were sent to the marine aquarium. J2 at that time was already out of childbearing age, due to her advanced years, the mammal was released. Since then, it has been observed annually in various places in the Pacific Ocean. However, there is a possibility that Grandma is already dead. She was last seen on October 12, 2016. She swam accompanied by a young male orca, whom she apparently took under her care. Later, this whale was discovered all alone.

The real age of Grandmother is still a source of controversy and disagreement. The study of biological material obtained after a series of analyzes in one of the last meetings showed that she could be from 65 to 80 years old.

As you can see, some living animals could have witnessed great historical events, which we can judge only from manuscript sources. However, they will not be able to tell us about them. Our Earth is still so unexplored that sometimes discoveries overturn all previously unshakable truths. Who knows what other living creatures live in the depths of the sea or dense thickets of the jungle? Perhaps the oldest living individuals have not yet been discovered? Whatever discoveries await us ahead, the main thing is to keep the planet in the most natural state and try not to disturb our smaller brothers. Especially when some of them are at such a respectable age.

This woman is the oldest inhabitant of our planet: the Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment was born on 02/21/1875 and died on 08/04/1997, having lived 122 years 164 days. During her life, two World Wars took place, the first man flew into space, the Internet was invented, but for some representatives of the fauna this age is only half, or even a third of life. Do you want to know for which long-lived animals?

1. 122 years - Bowhead whale


The length of the bowhead whale can reach 20 meters, and the weight, second only to the weight of the blue whale, varies between 75-100 tons. The habitat of the mammal is exclusively arctic and subarctic waters, unlike other species of whales migrating to other places. Unfortunately, this type of whale is classified as "endangered".

2. 125 years - sturgeon


Sturgeons (family Acipenseridae) are one of the oldest families of bony fish. Habitat - subtropical, temperate and subarctic zones: off the coast of North America and Eurasia, in lakes and rivers. Usually, the sturgeon grows up to 2-3 meters in length, occasionally - up to 5.5 meters. In April of this year, a 125-year-old specimen weighing 108 kg and 2.2 meters long was caught by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, which was tagged and then released. (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources)

3. 149 years old - Atlantic bighead


Atlantic bigheads live at a depth of 180-1800 meters in the waters of the eastern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, in the western Pacific Ocean, and also off the coast of Chile. The bright red color of the fish after death is replaced by a yellowish or orange tint. The oldest representative of this species lived to be 149 years old.

4. 168 years - Guidac


Guidac is a very large edible mollusk belonging to the Hiatellidae family. The habitat is the western coast of North America (mainly the state of Washington and British Columbia). Not very popular until the 1970s, recently shellfish have been in demand in Asian markets, which is why their value has risen sharply. The oldest individual guidaka was 168 years old. (Seattle P.I.)

5. 170 years - Lamellibrachia luymesi

The habitat of this species of tube worms belonging to the Siboglinidae family is the deep water of the northern part of the Gulf of Mexico (500-800 m). The worm, growing rather slowly, can reach a length of 3 meters. (Charles Fisher)

6. 200 years - Red sea urchin


Although this type of hedgehog is called "red", their color ranges from orange and pink to almost black. It lives in shallow water (maximum 90 m) near rocky coasts in the waters of the Pacific Ocean (from Alaska to Baja California). Sharp needles, reaching a length of up to 8 cm, completely cover the round body of the hedgehog. (Kirt L. Onthank)

7. 210-250 years old - European pearl


Belongs to a rare species of freshwater pearl mussels (Margaritiferidae family), producing pearls of excellent quality, which are mined by man. Recently, the Russian scientist Valery Zyuganov made a discovery: this type of mollusk does not show signs of aging, and their maximum life span reaches 210-250 years. (Joel Berglund)

8. 226 years - Koi Hanako


The koi carp is a species of beautiful domesticated carp that is bred to be kept in garden ponds for ornamental purposes. Koi varieties vary in size, pattern, and scale color. The most common colors are black, white, yellow, cream, blue and yellow. Age is determined in the same way as in trees: by the number of rings located on the scales of most fish. Thanks to this method, the age of the oldest koi carp, Hanako, was determined, who died at the age of 226 years. (Stan Shebs)

9. 256 years - Giant tortoise


One of the oldest animals on the planet is a 250-kilogram male giant tortoise named Advaita (translated from Sanskrit as "one and only"), who lived in the Calcutta Zoo (India). As evidenced by historical data, Advaita was the pet of Robert Clive, a British general from the East India Company, having lived on the territory of his mansion for several years. Approximately 130 years ago, Advaita was transferred to the Calcutta Zoo, and died in 2006.

10. 507 years old - Arctica islandica bivalve mollusc


This species of bivalve molluscs, belonging to the Arcticidae family, lives in the waters of the North Atlantic Ocean at a depth of 7-400 meters. Collect shellfish for food. Two individuals of bivalves lived to 375 and 507 years. (Manfred Heyde)

While we are looking for the secrets of longevity, there are creatures on our planet that live for more than a hundred years. And there are even immortals.

1. George, a huge lobster that weighs about 9.1 kg. George is approximately 140 years old. In 2008, he was caught off the coast of Newfoundland, then sold for $ 100 to a restaurant in New York. However, in 2009, under the influence of the Society for the Protection of Animals, he was released back into the ocean.

2. Tuatara Henry, who lives at the Southland Museum, New Zealand, recently celebrated his 115th birthday. Just imagine that Henry was born back in the 19th century.

Despite his advanced age, in 2009 Henry became a father.

3. Guidaki is a species of marine mollusks considered to be the largest burrowing molluscs. In addition, guidaki are also long-lived: their average life expectancy is 146 years, and the age of the oldest individual found today is 168 years.

4. This is Jonathan, 182-year-old St. Helena giant tortoise. "He is practically blind, has lost his sense of smell, but he still has good hearing," says a local veterinarian. At 182, Jonathan may be the oldest living creature on the planet.

This is Jonathan in the 1900s

This is Jonathan now.

5. Greeter is an 83-year-old flamingo who until recently lived at the Adelaide Zoo. Greeter came to the zoo in the 1930s, but was unfortunately euthanized in 2014 when his condition deteriorated.

6. In the cold dark water at a depth of 600 meters, time flows slowly. Hoplostet are a species of deep-sea fish known for reaching sexual maturity by the age of 20 and can live up to 150 years. The oldest hoplostet was born in the year when serfdom was abolished in Russia.

7. Red sea urchins live an average of about 200 years and live in shallow waters off the western coast of America. Red hedgehogs attracted particular attention of scientists after a mark dated 1805 was found on one of them.

8. Cockatoo Cookie turned 80 last year. He was caught in Australia in 1933 and shipped to the US, where he lives in the Brookfield Zoo.

9. A clam named Min, caught on the Icelandic shelf, according to the first assumptions, lived for 400 years. When re-analyzed, scientists determined its age at around 507 years.

10. Bowhead whales can live up to 200 years. The average lifespan of this species is about 40 years. However, some individuals can live up to 211 years, which is a record among vertebrates.

11. 103-year-old Granny, the oldest known killer whale, is the matriarch of the killer whale community. She was born the same year as Ronald Reagan.

12. Advaita - a giant 250-year-old turtle from the island of Aldabra. Unfortunately, Advaita died in 2006. It was very popular with tourists and attracted many visitors to the Calcutta City Zoo.

13. Turtles are famous centenarians. This is 176-year-old Hariette from the zoo in Queensland (Australia). It is believed that Charles Darwin personally found Gariette in 1835 on one of the Galapagos Islands. Hariette died in the same 2006.

With the development of science, the life expectancy of people is increasing every year. An increasing number of people live to be 100 years old and continue to live beyond. But even scientific and medical advances cannot overtake mother nature, who endowed some species of animals with, if not immortality, then truly impressive longevity.

Grouper (Rougheye Rockfish)

Despite being considered one of the longest-lived marine creatures, the sea bass (Sebastes aleutianus) only ranks tenth on this list. They usually live at a depth of 170 - 670 meters under water in the Pacific Ocean. They may have up to ten spines along the lower edge of the eye. This fish grows very slowly, becomes sexually mature very late and can live up to 200 years, with the oldest specimen found being 205 years old.

Red sea urchin (Red Sea Urchin)

The red sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus) has existed on our planet for 450 million years, and is the largest of all sea urchins. It can reach 25 centimeters in diameter. They usually stay in the same place, which is why they are covered with protective spikes. However, sometimes they group and prowl (or rather creep incredibly slowly) in search of food. While they don't often live to be 30 years old, if they do manage to do so, they can live to be well over 200 years old.

Bowhead Whale (Bowhead Whale)

Some scientists believe that bowhead whales may be the oldest living mammals on Earth. One whale, named Bada, is believed to have lived to be 211 years old, but he may actually have been at least 245 years old. Although most bowhead whales die between the ages of 20 and 60, 4 more bowhead whales were found close in age to Bada - according to scientists, they were 91 years old, 135 years old, 159 years old and 172 years old. In these whales, a total of 7 harpoon tips were found, the age of which was at least a century.

Koi fish

The average age of koi carp does not exceed 50 years, which in itself is not bad. But that's not even close enough to make this list. However, a koi named Hanako, who died in 1977, was a much more respectable 226 years old, meaning he was born as early as 1751. This means that this koi carp was born before Benjamin Franklin discovered electricity, or before anyone knew that mammoths never existed. This means that he lived during the signing of the declaration of independence, during the French Revolution, survived both world wars, and so on. Its age was determined by counting the rings on its scales, in the same way as when determining the age of a tree.

European Pearl Mussel (Freshwater Pearl Mussel)

It is estimated that approximately 90 percent of the population of the European pearl mussel (Margaritifera Margaritifera) lives around Scandinavia. They are considered to be very hardy creatures that can adapt to changes in their habitat quite easily. They are not hindered by climate change, as well as geological, physical, biological or even chemical changes. However, despite this, their population is constantly decreasing. Those that survive are considered the strongest and most likely have survived more than one ecosystem change, as they are over 250 years old, making them perhaps the oldest creatures in Europe.

Land turtles (Tortoise)

Land tortoises (Testudinidae) are famous for their long lifespan. On average, a healthy tortoise can live up to 150 years, but this, of course, depends on the type of tortoise. The oldest turtle known to science lived much longer than 150 years. Adwaita was the pet of British General Robert Clive before she entered the zoo in Calcutta, where she spent the remaining 130 years of her life. The only impressive thing is that at the time of her death, none of those who worked in it when she was just brought in worked at the zoo. The turtle died due to a crack in its shell. After her death, scientists conducted a radiocarbon analysis of the shell and found that her age was approximately 250 years, although some sources indicate 255 years, and others 257 years.

Ocean venus (Ocean Quahog)

The oceanic venus is a type of mollusc found mainly around the coast of Scotland. As you might expect, they move little, burrow into sand or mud, and use their gills to filter food and oxygen from the water. To avoid being eaten, they burrow deep into the seabed and live there for long periods of time without needing food or oxygen. Over the past few decades, ocean trawlers have caused their populations to drop by about 50 percent as they also die from damage to their shells, leaving them vulnerable to predators. As a result, fewer and fewer oceanic venuses live to a ripe old age. These mollusks can live up to 400 years, and the oldest specimen discovered was 500 years old.

Antarctic sponge (Antarctic Sponge)

Many people don't even realize that sponges are actually animals (but if they weren't, there wouldn't be SpongeBob, right?). Naturally, sponges are not very mobile creatures, and some of them move less than 1 millimeter per day, so it is not surprising that they grow very, very slowly, like many other animals on this list. It is their measured growth that ensures their longevity. There are five to ten thousand species of sponges in the world, and most of them live from 3 months to 20 years. However, the Antarctic sponge lives much longer, and one of the samples found by scientists lived a long life, namely 1,550 years.

Medusa (Jellyfish)

Most likely, this point will not surprise many people, since much has become known about their unusual capabilities over the past few years. A species of jellyfish called Turritopsis nutricula does not have any particular appearance. Newborns are 1 mm long and are born with eight tentacles, while adults have 90 tentacles and are 4.5 mm long. These little jellyfish were originally from the Caribbean but can now be found all over the world. However, everything is not as good as it might seem at first glance, because they can multiply and multiply. What makes them unique not only among jellyfish, but among all living creatures, is that they can return to adolescence. These jellyfish are born and grow like any other animal, but when they reach a certain age, they can revert back to the polyp stage and begin to mature all over again. In human terms, it would be about as if a 50-year-old man returned to the state of a baby. This means that these jellyfish are potentially immortal.\

In Iceland, a bivalve mollusk of the species Arctica islandica, which was considered the oldest animal on the planet: according to the rings on the inside of the shell, experts determined that Ming (the mollusk was named after the dynasty of Chinese emperors who ruled from 1368 to 1644) was born 405 years ago. Recently, scientists admitted that they made a mistake when calculating the age of a long-lived mollusk - in fact, Ming is 102 years older.

Experts explain the miscalculation by the fact that some annual rings are too thin, and it was not possible to see them right away. Radiocarbon analysis confirms the new data: Ming lived for more than five centuries, which was not least facilitated by the very slow metabolism of the animal.

Unfortunately, the mollusk died in 2006, not having lived to find out its real age for several years, but the study of its shell continues: by examining the thickness of the annual rings, scientists hope to determine the temperature fluctuations of the World Ocean over the past five centuries. In addition, experts are studying other representatives of the Arctica islandica species in order to find similar centenarians among them.

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