40+ of the Oldest Living Animals on Earth Today

Members of the parrot family, these birds are recognized by their bright-colored coats of yellow and blue feathers. They add color to whatever environment they’re in, so it’s great that their lifespan is long, sometimes up to even 80 years.

Most commonly, these birds are found in the rainforests and feed on a mix of seeds and nuts.

Elephants in general have long lifespans, and their African subsection is no different. The largest living land animals, African elephants have an average lifespan of 70 years, one of the biggest numbers for terrestrial animals.

Female African elephants become fertile around the age of 12 and have the ability to breed all through their remaining lives. Their pregnancy also lasts 22 months – that’s almost 2 whole years!

These water creatures have an impressive lifespan, living up to 60 years on average. The longest record even reached up to 106 years! Impressive, right?

These Australian and New Zealand natives are freshwater creatures and spend most of their life there. However, once they reach maturity, they end up migrating to the Pacific Ocean for breeding. These eels only spawn once in their lifetime and don’t live long once they do so.

These giant tortoises are not only known for their sizes, but also for their amazing lifespan that crosses a century on average. Just like all their other tortoise brethren, they also like a slow pace of life wherein they like the grass, basking in the sun, and resting for 16 hours a day.

It’s no wonder, with such a lifestyle, these creatures live to see over a century pass in their life.

Red Sea Urchins are almost immortal in their life, meaning they most probably perish when they’re eaten by predators rather than by old age. On average, a Red Sea urchin lives over 200 years, with a 100-year-old being as healthy as a young individual.

They also can produce individuals for a very long time. To find the age of these creatures, scientists measure the level of carbon-14 in them, a method known as radiocarbon dating.

Most of us know koi fish as a decorative fish, mostly used to spruce up office spaces. These fishes are also great for this role, as an average Japanese koi fish can live up to 40 years.

However, one has surpassed all expectations and lived up to 226 years. The koi, named Hanako, lived a remarkably long life. Scientists were able to decipher her lifespan with the number of growth rings on her scales.

These are the longest-living mammals in existence, with an average span of 200 years. Bowhead whales usually spend most of their lives in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, hence making their study quite difficult.

One way to determine the age of these water creatures is through the fragments of harpoons left in the blubber of the whale. Scientists have also suggested that these whales can also live up to the age of 268.

Greenland Sharks move very slowly, at an average speed of 0.76 mph. Not only do they move at an excruciating speed, but they also take other aspects of life slowly, like their growth speed, growing only 0.3 inches a year.

So it’s no surprise that they live for quite a long time, anywhere between 300 and 500 years. They don’t even reach reproductive maturity until the age of 100-150!

These edible clams have an impressive lifespan that’s impressed many scientists. An average ocean quahog lives to see at least his 400th birthday, a pretty advanced birthday to be sure. The oldest one of record was caught in 2006, at the age of 507.

Ocean quahogs aren’t impressive just because of their age. The way their shells form lets scientists know the way the ocean has changed over time.

The immortal jellyfish is a legendary creature, only because for all intents and purposes, it’s immortal. Their lifespan starts as larvae moving about the ocean. Then these larvae settle on the floor of the sea and become static.

This is where things get fascinating! The static state continues until the jellyfish feel any stress or change in their environment, at which point they revert to their young larvae stage and start again.

This is a live example of a Seychelles Giant Turtle living a long life. In January 2022, Jonathan, a Seychelles Giant Turtle, was named the oldest land animal by Guinness World Record. He was 190 when he got this honor.

The average age span for a giant turtle is around 100 years. Jonathan has been living on an island, Saint Helena, since 1882 when he was just 50. Since then, the world has changed entirely, but Jonathan continues to live his life peacefully.

One of the longest-living fish, the rougheye rockfish can live up to 205 years. These gorgeous brownish or pink fish reside in the Pacific Ocean, all the way from Japan to California.

These aquatic animals grow up to 38 inches, which is a big size in the sea world. Their diet consists mainly of other animals, like other small fish and shrimp. The danger of their extinction has made these fishes a very protected creature and the subject of many campaigns.

The Tuatara has inhabited the blue planet for over 200 million years, making it one of the oldest animals to exist. Residing on the islands of New Zealand, these lizards grow very slowly, which is why they also live a long time – 60 years to be exact.

However, some tuatara lizards can also manage to complete a century on the planet under certain conditions, and reach a length of 29 inches. This lizard strongly resembles a large iguana but can be distinguished with a third eye type structure on its crown.

Just like their African brothers and sisters, Asian elephants also have long lifespans. Mainly found in countries like India and Nepal, they can live up to 70 years in the wild, even stretching up to 80 when residing in domesticated environments.

These elephants on average can grow up to 11 feet and weigh almost 5 tons. The oldest elephant in the world was from India. Named Chengalloor Dakshayani, she completed 88 years in 2019 before taking her last breath.

A type of giant tube worm, lamellibrachia, lives on seabeds where hydrocarbons leak from the sea floor. The most well-known area where these creatures can be found in is the northern Gulf of Mexico, at a depth of 1640 to 2624 feet.

The slow-growing tube worm can live up to an ancient age of 250 years and can grow over 10 feet in size.

Albatross is a large seabird that can live up to the ripe age of 50 years. One of the largest flying birds, they’re also one of the most popular birds, appearing in many songs and poems over the years.

The oldest living albatross is the Laysan albatross named Wisdom, which hatched in 1951 and is still flying strong. That’s not Wisdom’s only accomplishment. The bird has laid 40 eggs to date, twice the normal albatross average.

Crocodiles are scary, and that’s putting it mildly. These creatures are known for lying in absolute stillness and taking people by surprise, making these clever carnivores highly dangerous.

They’ve also been around for many years, 55 million to be exact. Its constant evolution and many adaptive features have allowed it to exist on Earth for this long. The saltwater animals can live up to 70 years, they’re mostly nocturnal and can travel long distances in water.

Just like their crocodile kins, alligators can also live a pretty long life. On average, an American alligator’s lifespan can reach up to 50 years in the wild.

However, their average age is not a limit to how old they can actually get. Some of the gators can defy norms by a couple of decades, with the oldest living alligator, Muja, believed to be at least 83 years old!

This fish has many names, such as The Red Roughy, Deep Sea Perch, and Slimehead. It’s found in the depths of the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.

When they were first studied in the 1970s, these bright red fish were thought to live up to only 30 years of age. But as time passed and scientists studied them further, the average lifespan was determined to be 150 years. Not only that, the oldest orange roughy to be recorded was 250 years old.

These primitive fishes have inhabited the planet for over 200 million years, and most of them remain unchanged even after all this time. Sturgeons, known for their distinctive front shapes, are mostly found in sub-Arctic lakes and on coastlines of North America and Eurasia.

On average, these subtropical fishes live up to 100 years on average, making them one of the longest-living fishes. Female lake sturgeons have the longest lifespan of all, living up to almost 150 years old.

The greater flamingo doesn’t have a very long average life span, stopping at just 35 years in the wild. But when brought up under certain conditions, these long-necked birds can live up to 60 years old.

The most common of all the flamingos, this species is easily recognizable for its pink coloring and downward curved black beak. The oldest known greater flamingo named Greater lived up to the ripe age of 83.

The record holder for longevity in its kind, the Antarctic sponge is found in cold, deep waters. Every year, the slow-growing creature only adds less than an inch to itself. They live at a depth of 656 feet, a safe distance away from sunlight penetration.

The Antarctic sponge also has a long lifespan, ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 years! This is possible as the creatures reduce their metabolic process, hence increasing their life in the ocean.

It’s surprising to see parrots on the list, but amongst the household pets that one can keep (barring a turtle), these birds have one of the longest lifespans.

These usually comic companions can live for a long time. The African Grey Parrots can stay as companions for 30 to 50 years on average. The oldest one to be ever recorded, a pet parrot named Tarbu, lived up to the age of 55, with his last word being ‘Cheerio!’

For people looking for a fun companion who can do tricks and be all-around entertainment, an umbrella cockatoo is a great option. Not only are the Indonesian originators great at providing amusement, but they also have a very long average lifespan, usually living up to 70 or 80 years.

The oldest recorded umbrella cockatoo named Duster lives in Florida and is 89 years old. Guess the great Florida weather is not only good for humans but also birds.

Unlike their giant friends, box turtles don’t live on to be 150 years old. However, they still do live a very long time. On average, these popular house pets can reach the age of 30 easily. While under good conditions, that number can be as high as 100!

These turtles are the most common kinds of turtles and are found widely in the eastern part of the US. They also need a relatively warm climate to sustain long term.

Chimpanzees are happy-go-lucky animals. Mostly friendly to humans, and one of the most sought-after animals by humans to be seen, chimpanzees have a good lifespan for animals living in the wild.

On average, a chimpanzee can live up to 45 years in their natural habitat. Their diet mostly consists of flowers, insects, seeds, and fruits. Unlike their human relatives, they haven’t quite reached the age of 100, but in comparison to their animal friends, they’re quite high up.

The Pacific geoduck clams are a giant and edible species, found in salt waters. They’re native to the region of western Canada and also the northwest of the US. They’re one of the oldest living animals in the world and are also called King Clams or Mud Ducks.

These clams can weigh up to 10 pounds and grow up to the size of 5-7 inches. In terms of life expectancy, a geoduck clam can range to 140 years in their life, with the oldest one setting the record at 186.

Bats are nocturnal animals, and apart from Batman making them uber famous and cool, they don’t have a lot going on for them. One of the species of bats is the vesper bat, found mainly in parts of Asia and Europe.

These bats, like all the other bats, are relatively small. But unlike the general rule of smaller animals having a smaller lifespan, these bats can live up to multiple decades. One of the oldest recorded bats found in 2005 in Siberia was 41 years old.

One of the largest birds in the world, the Andean Condor is the national symbol for many countries, including Argentina and Chile. These birds are found mostly in areas where they can catch a good breeze, like near the mountains or the beach.

These giant birds can weigh up to 33 pounds and have wingspans stretching up to 10 feet. However, they do produce really slowly and can live up to 50 years in the wild.

These desert creatures are exotic to many and can go for long stretches of time without food and water. The dromedary camel is the popularly seen one-humped camel, which makes up 94% of the world’s camel population.

On average, the dromedary camel can live up to 40 years under the right conditions. These animals are important to life in the desert as they not only provide milk but can also carry heavy loads on their back.

Giant Lobsters live on the seafloor and need little food to survive. With slow digestion, it has a pretty laid-back living style.

The oldest crustacean is more famous for being a luxury food item than anything else. On average, if they’re not caught for food, a lobster can live up to 100 years old, the oldest one on record was 140 and was found in 2009.

The Asian native sloth bear is found mainly in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. They’re known for their thick, long claws and distinguished teeth. These bears have one of the longest lifespans of all the bears, reaching up to almost 40 years when living in captivity.

However, in the wild, these bears don’t survive for more than 16 years on average. Their diet consists mainly of eating termites and ants, making them a unique species in the bear family.

Also known as the Himalayan Bear, the Asiatic black bear is found in parts of Asia like Japan, southern Iran, the Himalayas, etc. Just like their Asiatic kin sloth bear, they also eat insects but their diet mainly consists of fruits, honey, birds, small mammals, and bees.

The omnivore bear has glossy black fur and becomes breedable at the age of four. Their lifespan is also a pretty good one, both in the wild and in captivity, they can live up to 40 years.

These water creatures are mostly found in Europe and North America, and the oldest known freshwater pearl mussel in existence is almost 280 years old. Due to their low metabolism rate, these invertebrates live long lives.

These endangered species can grow up to the length of 5 inches and function as bivalves, filtering food particles from the water. Very occasionally, these mussels can also bear a pearl!

Corals are usually colorful, underwater plants and rocks. Even though they bring to mind an explosion of shades, they’re actually made of the exoskeletons of polyps. Coral’s lifespan is so long as they grow bigger, with the polyps creating genetically identical copies to replace them.

The longest-living corals are the black corals, which reside deep underwater. The oldest ever found specimen was found off the coast of Hawaii and was thought to be 4,265 years old.

Just like corals, sponges too are made up of animal colonies and have a lifespan well into the thousands. Out of all the sponge species, glass sponges are one of the longest-living ones, with their life extending beyond 10,000 years.

These animals are found deep without the ocean and are named so because their exterior resembles glass. The oldest specimen found of the glass sponge is believed to be 11,000 years old.

No, we’re not talking about the Marvel universe organization responsible for the birth of Captain America. Instead, hydra are sea animals that look a lot like jellyfish. And just like jellyfish, hydra also have the potential to live forever.

Hydras are made up of multiple stem cells, which allow them to regenerate regularly. The only way for hydras to die is through outer threats like predators. Otherwise, these creatures can live forever.

Horses are majestic animals, which has been a companion to humans for many centuries. These creatures have accompanied humans through different phases of history.

Horses need love and care to flourish. Unlike other pets, you can’t just stick them in a box. They need open spaces and lots of food to live happily. These animals also have a decent life expectancy, up to 30 years. The oldest living horse ever recorded actually lived up to be 62.

The second-largest mammal to ever exist, the white rhinoceros, come from Africa. Rhinos are known for their one long horn on their face. White rhinos also have a single hump on their back that distinguishes them from other rhinos.

Under the right conditions, the white rhinoceros can live up to 45 years of age. However, the last couple of decades have seen this animal slowly decreasing in size.

The national bird of the US, the bald eagle is a majestic beast found in North America. Even though their name has the word ‘bald’ in it, these eagles are not actually bald, but instead, have a white-colored head.

A bald eagle has a lifespan of 50 years, which is a very good age for birds. As for its diet, the bird is a carnivore and mostly eats fish and other birds.

Olm is an aquatic salamander found on the continent of Europe. These cave-dwelling creatures are actually blind and have pale, pinkish skin, which is why they’re also called human fish.

Its blindness is the result of adaptation over the years since they have spent way too long in the caves. For hunting, these salamanders use other supersenses like their ability to sense electricity. The olm has an average lifespan of 58 years and can survive a decade without food.

Unlike its European cousin, the Japanese Giant Salamander is a huge species of the salamander family. An endemic of Japan, these aquatic creatures can grow up to 5 feet.

A Japanese Giant Salamander can live up to the age of 50. However, some salamanders in the wild have even reached the ripe age of 80! They have poor eyesight and are found in areas with cool, clear water, and feed on other animals like fish and snails.

An orangutan can live up to the age of 35-40 in the wild. However, when in captivity, these animals can easily touch the halfway mark to a decade.

Their long lifespan is also a reflection of the fact that these creatures have the longest childhood dependency in the animal kingdom, with the babies being nursed until the age of six by their mothers. They intake a diet of barks, leaves, and flowers. However, their main component of food is over 300 types of fruits.

Based on their size, nobody expects naked mole rats to live beyond a decade. However, these unpleasant-looking creatures can actually live up to 30 years.

These rats usually don’t get sick easily and can go up to 18 minutes without oxygen. They’re found in parts of Eastern Africa and are exclusively underground creatures, living in burrows and tunnels. They only grow up to the size of 1.2 ounces.

One of the oldest animals to be bred by humans, donkeys have been around since prehistoric times. The ancient humans used these animals as a mode of transport since they have the ability to carry large roads. These animals have proved to be loyal, intelligent, and social.

On average, a donkey can survive anywhere from 27 to 40 years. However, depending on their different species, their age might differ. For example, in Ethiopia, the average lifespan for donkeys is 9 years, while in Mexico it’s 15.