Cross Breeds

What animals have the longest natural lifespan?

I understand that many animals are not expected to live long because of predators etc..., but what animals would live the longest if allowed to live their life to the point of a natural death?

Public Comments

1. Galapagos tortoise lifespan has been recorded at over 150 yrs
2. sea turtles parrots live a pretty long time too...
3. I would guess tortises, but that's just me.
4. Probably humans, or trees, or maybe elephants... Im not sure... good question. or maybe one of those big tortoises.
5. Tortoise
6. Isn't it the Galapagos Turtle? Although I have read that Alligator Snapping Turtles have been caught in Louisiana with Civil War miniballs embedded in their shells; that would put them in the front running.
7. tortoise 200 years or more
8. I think it's some type of turtle or tortoise
9. I think that the Elephant would have the longest living lifespan.
10. tourtise
11. I would have to say Turtles
12. galapagos giant tortoise.....it lives long in the wild and captivity, and has no natural enemies heres some more info if u wanna read up on it.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galapagos_Giant_Tortoise
13. elephants and tortoises
14. Well according to the below link it is the giant tortoise who can live about 177 years in captivity. They also have a nice little table. enjoy
15. The giant tortoise lives the longest, about 177 years in captivity, and the gastrotrich (a minute aquatic animal) lives the shortest - three days.
16. Some tortoises live for up to 200 years. *Apparantly someone doesn't like the truth, or can't accept it, with all these thumb downs for right answers.
17. that will be the sea turtle, and for mamal the elephant
18. Tortoise,Whale and Croc`s
19. When you say "natural" I assume you mean that the animal lived it life free from captivity. The rougheye rockfish (Sebastes aleutianus) has been aged to 205 years. The age was determined by a validated method of counting the rings on the fish's otolith (which is similar to counting the rings of a tree). (Daniel, Durham, New Hampshire). The Ocean Quahog (Arctica islandica) — a clam — is perhaps oldest of all. We recently dredged up a specimen, from the mid Atlantic continental shelf, that had 220 annual growth rings. Biologists verified the specimen’s age using radiometric- dating techniques. That creature’s 220 years beats even the rockfish’s 205. THe rougheye rockfish (Sebastes aleutianuns), found off the coast of Alaska, trumps the 177-year old giant tortoise. In the tortoise’s favor, though — she dwells in captivity. So, we know her age. (Or do we? Charles Darwin captured Harriet, the tortoise, in 1835 when she was about 5 years old and took her to England. In 1841, the Beagle brought Harriet to Australia and left her in a botanical garden. Unfortunately, a 1920-flood destroyed all the garden’s animal records. So, we don’t know exactly how old Harriet is.)
20. I think it is a sea turtle i think they can live for 100 years
21. a tortoise and a parrot
22. Here is what Wikipedia has to say: The maximum life span of each species is different. These differences demonstrate the role of genetics in determining maximum life span ("rate of aging"). The records are: for mice 4; for dogs 29; for cats 38; for goldfish 49[2] for horses, 62; for elephants, 78; for humans, 122.5 The longest-lived vertebrates have been variously described as tortoises (Galápagos tortoise) (193 years) whales (Bowhead Whale) (about 210 years) As for the LITTLE TROLL who is going around and putting thumbs down on everyone's ansers, GET A LIFE NOOB!!!
23. I think the answer you are looking for is as follows: The animal with the slowest metabolism, with the strongest skeleton(or a complete lack of one) ... like the tortoise. Squids, knowing very little about them, are thought to live well over 200 years in the great depths of the ocean.... where there are no real predators.
24. Lamellibrachia luymesi, a tube worm that reaches 3 meters long, is thought to live for over 250 years.
25. Bowhead whales can live for 200 years. It was recently discovered through ancient artifacts, stone spear points found in the blubber of the whales. This discovery along with scientific data from the amino acids taken from the whale's eye lens confirmed the age.
26. Tortoise....certainly gives new meaning to "slow and steady wins the race"