Some animals have extraordinary lifespans, living well beyond what we typically expect from most species.
While humans are lucky to reach a century, many creatures on our planet manage to surpass 100 years, some even reaching hundreds or thousands of years.
This article is for general knowledge only and is based on information from online sources. Always research carefully and consult with professionals for more specific information.
1. Galápagos Giant Tortoise
These iconic island dwellers hold celebrity status in the longevity world. With their dome-shaped shells and elephantine legs, they plod through life at a pace that matches their extended timeline.
Scientists have documented individuals living beyond 175 years in the wild. Their secret? An extraordinarily slow metabolism and minimal predator threats on their isolated volcanic home.
The most famous example was Lonesome George, the last of his subspecies, who passed away in 2012 at an estimated age of 102.
2. Red Sea Urchin
Beneath Pacific waves, these spiny crimson creatures quietly outlive most vertebrates. Unlike humans, red sea urchins show no signs of aging, their reproductive organs remain robust and their spines stay sharp throughout their centuries-long existence.
Scientists studying their telomeres, protective caps on DNA strands that typically shorten with age, found urchins maintain these protective structures indefinitely. Some specimens collected off British Columbia’s coast have been aged at over 200 years.
They achieve this while surviving on a simple diet of kelp.
3. Japanese Koi Fish
Swimming through history with vibrant scales and flowing fins, koi fish have captivated humanity for centuries. The most famous long-lived koi was Hanako, whose age was verified at an astounding 226 years through scale ring analysis, similar to counting tree rings.
Passed down through generations of a single Japanese family, Hanako witnessed the rise and fall of empires from her peaceful pond. Their remarkable longevity depends heavily on pristine water conditions and careful husbandry.
Wild koi typically live 40 years, but captive specimens regularly surpass the century mark.
4. Aldabra Giant Tortoise
Roaming the coral atolls of Seychelles, these massive reptiles carry the weight of centuries on their domed shells. Unlike their Galápagos cousins, Aldabra tortoises have slightly more pronounced neck extensions and different shell patterns.
Adwaita, perhaps the most famous example, reportedly lived 255 years in captivity before his death in 2006. These gentle herbivores grow throughout their lives, though the pace slows dramatically after reaching maturity.
Their slow heart rate, about six beats per minute, contributes to their extraordinary lifespans.
5. Blue-And-Yellow Macaw
Bursting with tropical color and remarkable intelligence, these rainforest sentinels may witness an entire century unfold. With proper care, blue-and-yellow macaws regularly surpass 100 years in captivity, far outliving their human caretakers.
Charlie, a macaw reportedly once owned by Winston Churchill, still entertains visitors at a British garden center at over 100 years old. Their extraordinary neuroplasticity allows their brains to continue forming new connections throughout their extended lives.
Many macaws form lifelong bonds with multiple human generations in a single family.
6. Asian Elephant
Wisdom walks on four legs through the forests of Southeast Asia. These majestic pachyderms carry their years with dignity, developing deeper family bonds and more complex communication as decades pass.
Lin Wang, an Asian elephant drafted into military service during World War II, lived to 86, though some individuals in protected settings have reached beyond 100. Their remarkable memory allows elder elephants to recall ancient migration routes during droughts.
Female matriarchs accumulate vital survival knowledge that benefits their entire herd for generations.
7. Tuatara
Henry, a tuatara at New Zealand’s Southland Museum, became a father for the first time at age 111. These remarkable reptiles aren’t lizards but the sole survivors of an order that flourished during dinosaur times.
With a third eye on top of their heads (a light-sensitive parietal organ) and teeth fused directly to their jawbone, tuataras represent living fossils. Their extremely slow metabolism allows them to go months between meals and contributes to lifespans exceeding 100 years.
They continue growing, albeit slowly, throughout their entire lives.
8. Lake Sturgeon
Swimming through North American waterways since the time of dinosaurs, these armored giants have changed little in 200 million years. Individual lake sturgeon regularly exceed 100 years, with females typically outliving males.
Their prehistoric appearance, with five rows of bony plates instead of scales and a vacuum-like mouth beneath their snouts, makes them living fossils. A female caught in Ontario’s French River in 1953 was estimated to be 154 years old.
Sturgeons grow throughout their lives, with the oldest specimens reaching lengths of 7+ feet.
