You have the secrets of longevity! Five incredible animals turn 100 years old and continue to unveil important insights into life and human longevity research. These five incredible creatures defy common life expectancies and baffle scholars. Can you kick a kind?
READ ALSO: One Man’s Nose, Another’s Snout: Why Do Pets Look Like Their Owners?
These animals are treasures of longevity
Studying these animals is vital for us to better understand how our own longevity works or could work. We must protect and preserve them species remarkable as they represent true treasures of nature and teach us important lessons about life.
- Galapagos Giant Tortoise: Giants of Life
An example is the Galapagos giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra), a species endemic to the Galapagos Islands.
”Photo: Exploder1/Getty Images.”
These amazing turtles can live more than a century, which means they can live to be over 100 years old. With their impressive size, these animals have faced threats over the years but have managed to survive and remain among us.
- Greenland shark: the champion of longevity
”Photo: dottedhippo/Getty Images.”
In the animal kingdom there are creatures that exceed the average life expectancy and provide valuable insights into aging. An example is the bowhead shark (Somniosus microcephalus), which lives in the cold waters of the Arctic and North Atlantic.
With an average size of between four and five meters, these sharks surprise with a life expectancy of around 400 years and will soon become one of the longestlived species on the planet. In fact, conservation measures have been put in place to protect these giants of the ocean.
- Tuatara: Longlived New Zealand reptiles
”Photo: Alvin Setiawan/Getty Images.”
New Zealand is home to the Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus), a reptile also notable for its longevity.
With an average lifespan of 100 to 200 years, this animal far from lizards has unique features, such as a third “vision” on its head. Your slow metabolism and lack of natural predators contribute to its impressively long service life.
- Bowland whale: The ancestors of the oceans
”Photo: CoreyFord/Getty Images.”
Of course, in the marine kingdom, the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) is notable for its longevity. With sturdy bodies and imposing heads, these whales can live an incredible 210 years.
Unfortunately, this species is endangered due to intense commercial hunting in the past die outwhich is now leading to efforts being made to protect it.
- Sea sturgeon: the freshwater elders
”Photo: Yuri Tuchkov/Getty Images.”
In North America there is the sea sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens), a fish that lives in large lakes and rivers. Studies suggest that these fish can live up to 150 years due to their slow growth, low metabolism and reduced reproductive rate.
Unfortunately, they face threats that threaten their survival, which only underscores the importance of conserving this and other species.