The Longest-lived Animals In The World: Discover Them!

When we think of the longest-lived animals, we certainly imagine turtles or elephants. However, there are other even more long-lived species. In this article we reveal which animals can blow out the most candles.

Which animals live the most?

Some species can live for centuries, which is impossible for humans (for the moment at least). Animals that far exceed the typical life expectancy of humans are:

1. Immortal Medusa

According to scientists this species, called Turritopsis Dohrnii, has the ability to regenerate and rejuvenate on its own in an endless cycle. When it reaches its stage of old age, it goes through a process by which it transforms itself into a younger specimen, and so on to infinity. This is why it is said that he never dies.

2. Antarctic sponge

Its scientific name is Clathrina Broendstedi in honor of the Danish researcher Holger Brondsted, who dedicated himself to studying it in the Weddel Sea area, in Antarctica. It is an immobile creature that survives the lowest temperatures on the planet, in the depths of the ocean. The oldest specimens that have been observed boast about 1500 years of life. They have a very slow growth rate.

3. Galapagos tortoise

Turtles are very long-lived animals that not only grow in size, but also survive for several decades. Those of the Galapagos are among the longest-lived. They can blow as many as 250 candles.

4. Giant tube worm

Can you imagine a giant worm that can live up to 250 years? It is not a nightmare. The good news is that it lives at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, near the black fumaroles and more than 2000 meters deep. We can’t run into him!

It can live without contact with the sun thanks to its adaptation to the environment. It is red in color due to hemoglobins in the blood and, according to scientists, comes from the symbiosis between an invertebrate and a marine bacterium.

5. Greenland whale

Also known as the northern whale, it is one of the large marine mammals that can measure up to 18 meters and weigh up to 100 tons. It lives in arctic and subarctic waters and does not migrate very far either to eat or to reproduce. It is black or dark gray in color and is coated with a thick layer of fat to survive the cold. Some specimens of Greenland whales have lived for about 200 years.

6. Red hedgehog

Its scientific name is quite complicated, so it is not necessary to learn it. It is popularly known as “red hedgehog” due to its color (which can also be pink, orange or purple). It lives between Alaska and Lower California (Pacific Ocean), about 100 meters deep, and in rocky areas protected from extreme waves and full of algae woods.

Its body is covered with spines of about 8 cm in length, it has no visible eyes and its mouth has 5 teeth. Although its life expectancy is around 30 years, specimens of around 200 years of age have been found.

7. Koi carp

You will certainly know this large fish typical of Asian ponds which has a long tail in the shape of a “veil”, as well as very bright colors. Although they originated in China, they became popular thanks to Japan. It is a domestic ornamental variety of the common carp and in the wild they live in the Aral Sea and the Caspian Sea.

The koi is synonymous with luck and there have been reports of it since the Chinese Qing Dynasty and the Japanese Yayoi age. These are very hardy fish that can live for approximately two centuries. The longest-lived specimen was called Hanko and died at the ripe old age of 226.

8. Tuatara

The last of the longest-lived animals on our list belongs to the endemic reptile group and lives on islands close to New Zealand. Its name means “thorny back” in the Māori language ; it is similar to the iguana and can measure up to 70 cm in length. Eat insects, eggs, baby birds, snails, and lizards. Being cold-blooded, he needs to be out in the sun for several hours. It is undoubtedly one of the animals that lives the longest as it easily reaches 200 years.

Source of images: AnuPrieto, Ansgar Walk and Taollan82.