Reaching an age of 90 is considered to be an accomplishment in humans. However, 90 years is a blink of an eye in some animals. There are some animals which have lived on for thousands of years and are direct descendants of dinosaurs, which is why they are sometimes called living fossils. There are animals which were alive during the two world wars, the age of colonization, and even the crusades. They are the true witnesses to history.
Tuatara, 110 Years Old
The Tuataras are native to New Zealand and even though they look like lizards, they are actually the direct descendants of the dinosaurs that lived on Earth 200 million years ago. While they are now listed under endangered species, the creatures are known to have a long life, some even living up to 110 years old.
Orange Roughly, 149 Years Old
Orange Roughly is one of the rarest species on Earth today. However, it was not so rare a few hundred years ago. These are slow-moving, slow-growing, and long-living species. The rarity of this fish is because they are now endangered species mainly because of the overfishing of the seas and the oceans.
Geoducks, 168 Years Old
The Geoduck clams are native to the west coast of North America and there are some distinctive features that set it apart. The shell of this clam is smaller than the soft part of the body. The females of the Geoducks produce over 5 billion eggs during their lifetime and the oldest living Geoduck to have been recorded is at 168 years old.
Red Sea Urchins, 200 Years Old
Only found in the Pacific Ocean, the red sea urchins live on rocky shores and stay out of the way of the large waves. The natural defense mechanism of the red sea urchins is the spines on their body that help them survive while they are crawling on the ocean floor. Since they age at a slow rate, some of the specimens in the species can live up to 200 years.
Bowhead Whale, 211 Years Old
Even though this particular whale is not as famous as the Blue Whale, it does have some distinctive features that make it special. The Bowhead Whale has the largest mouth among all animals and it can live for up to 200 years. The longest living recorded Bowhead Whale lived for 211 years, making it the longest living marine mammal.
Koi Fish, 226 Years Old
While most of the koi fish live for up to 50 years, there was one among their species that broke every record. The scarlet koi fish in question was named Hanako and it lived for 226 years. To this day, many people speculate why a fish would live that long. People have different theories, some saying that it was because of the love she received from people around her, while others believe that she enjoyed the pure waters of the Japanese mountains.
Lamellibrachia Tube Worms, 250 Years Old
The Lamellibrachia tube worms are found at the depths of 500-800 meters below sea level. They live in symbiosis with the sulfide-oxidizing bacteria because of the sulfur and methane leaks from the ocean floor at that depth. They can form colonies of thousands of individuals and are only found in the deep cold seeps of the ocean.
Aldabra Giant Tortoise, 255 Years Old
Adwaita the Aldabra Giant Tortoise was a truly unique individual of the species, famous for living up to an old age of 255 years. Because these giant turtles are notoriously famous for their long lives, there are scientists who believe that these animals are the longest living terrestrial animals to have ever walked the earth.
Freshwater Pearl Mussels, 280 Years Old
The Freshwater Pearl Mussels are one of the longest living species on earth. They grow extremely slowly and on an average their lifespan ranges between 80 and 100 years. However, the oldest freshwater pearl mussel to be ever found in the world was 280 years old.
Greenland Shark, 400 Years Old
There is a lot about Greenland Sharks that can intimidate people. Starting with the threatening looks, the Greenland Sharks are the longest living vertebrates to roam the earth. They reach a sexual maturity at the age of 150 years while their average lifespan can last for up to 400 years.