There are many stories and legends about the longevity of animals, which are often greatly exaggerated. Among the celestial, terrestrial and marine inhabitants there are records for life expectancy, but the mammal that lives the longest still exists.
Animal world centenarians statistics
One of the longest-living land animals is the chimpanzee monkey, which lives up to 60-70 years. A horse can live a little less, which, with perfect care, lives up to 50 years or more. Hippos live approximately 41 years, rhinos - 40, bears - 34, common monkeys - more than 20 years, cats - 23 years, dogs - 22 years.
These statistics have not been averaged and refer to individual animals, and not to the characteristics of a particular species.
The following pattern is characteristic of mammals: the larger they are, the longer their lifespan. So, a two-ton elephant with a very high probability will live up to 70 years - knowing the average weight of a mammal, you can accurately predict its maximum age. However, this rule also has its exceptions, since a person in this situation would have to live no more than 30 years. Here another law is already at work - with the same body weight, it is precisely those mammals with a larger brain that live longer. In this case, slow aging is explained by the fact that the large brain controls all the vital functions of its owner more efficiently.
Unconditional record holders
Among land mammals, the elephant has been repeatedly recognized as the longest-living animal, with an average life expectancy of usually 60 to 90 years. True, only a few representatives of this species survive to the venerable 90 years of age, differing in enviable health and stunning thickness of the skin.
Scientists believe that elephants owe such a long life to their vegetable diet and a very measured, unhurried existence.
What is the longest-living mammal on Earth? The record holder in this area is considered to be the bowhead whale, or polar whale, which can live to a deep 130-year old age. Whales are the largest animals in the world - they can grow up to 35 meters in length and weigh 150 tons. Newborn whales reach 7 meters in length and consume about 7 buckets of milk per feeding.
However, if we consider not only mammals, then the oldest long-liver is the common Moorish turtle, which lived 152 years and, according to some biologists, has all the chances to quietly "creak" up to a record 200 years. At the same time, its relative, the royal turtle that lives in America, can live up to 123 years.
