With an average lifespan of 70 years, African elephants are the largest and oldest living land creatures. Elephants are rarely eaten, they have robust genes that protect them from disease, and female elephants have resilient fertility, all of which contribute to their long lifespan.
The parrot family includes huge birds called macaws that have similar vividly coloured feathers. If they are in the correct environment, they can survive for 60 to 80 years. They live in deep rainforests and eat a variety of seeds and nuts.
Longfin eels can live up to 60 years on average, but the oldest one ever recorded lived to be 106! They are skilled climbers who can effortlessly ascend dams and waterfalls. They are native to Australia and New Zealand and spend the majority of their lives in freshwater streams hiding.
They have been known to live to be well over 100 years old, the oldest being 175! Giant tortoises live slowly, spending 16 hours a day dozing off in the sun. They are able to go for a year without eating.
Red sea urchins are believed to be immortal, as evidence found in Vancouver Island of some living for over 200 years. They reproduce and live a healthy life and are far more likely to die eaten by predators. Urchins are often studied to monitor pollution levels in the water as they can easily sense the changes in its quality.
Japanese Koi are omnivores and can swim vigorously even in a cold pond. Their average lifespan is around 40 years. However, “Hanako” was a particular koi that lived 226 years when she died in 1977. Scientists estimated her age by counting growth rings in her scales.
The longest lifespan of any mammal is 200 years or more for bowhead whales. Given that they live their entire lives in the Arctic and sub-Arctic, it might be difficult to determine their age. Bowhead whales can live to be 268 years old, according to a DNA study used by experts to assess age and lifespan.
Greenland sharks live for between 300 and 500 years, the longest-living vertebrate. They move very slowly at an average of 0.76 mph and grow about a cm every year. Despite their huge size and long lifespan, these sharks have been a mystery to scientists for years.