According to science based studies, the earth is nearly 4.543 billion years old. But for a large period, the earth remained inhabited. Jellyfish are believed to be the oldest creature to exist on the world and according to studies, they stepped on the planet some 500 million years ago. This means that they are even older than the dinosaurs – the gigantic creatures that are believed to be one of the oldest on this planet. Darwin told the world about the evolution of the species in the 19th century but some creatures on the planet are way older than Darwin’s evolution theory.
From tortoises to jellyfish and whales, there are creatures that have a lifespan three to four times that of humans. A generation of these creatures lives long enough to see multiple generations of humans take birth and grow old. This list comprises 8 creatures with the longest lifespan.
- Tortoise: Tortoise is one of the oldest creatures to step on earth. The average lifespan of tortoises is nearly 177 years. 175-year-old Galapagos tortoise Harriet was one of the oldest tortoises in the world. Harriet died of heart failure in 2006 at a zoo owned by the late Steve Irwin. It had accompanied Charles Darwin during his epic voyage on the HMS Beagle. While the average age of tortoises is 177, they can easily live till 200 years. 187-year-old Seychelles tortoise Jonathan is currently the oldest living tortoise.
- Koi Fish: Koi fish is a colourful fish species and are a domesticated variety of the common carp. While the average lifespan of Kois Fish is nearly 40 years, they easily surpass the average age and can live for as long as two centuries. The oldest Koi Fish on the planet lives as long as 200 years. They are mainly found in the fresh waters of the Kaspian Sea and can grow up to a length of 3 feet. They are commonly kept in decorative pools.
- Bowhead Whale: Whales are gigantic animals that hunt for survival. Bowhead Whale is the longest living mammal on the planet and their average age is between 60 to 70 years. However, many experts argue that Bowhead whales can live as long as a century. The Bowhead whales are mainly found in the North Atlantic and the North Pacific. They mostly live in cold conditions. The gigantic creatures are endangered in many parts of the world.
- Red Sea Urchin: Humans are well aware of the animals and organisms that exist above the ground but there’s a vast range of species beneath the sea level that remains unknown to a larger section of the human population. One such species is the Red Sea Urchin. The strangely-shaped creatures are only found in the Pacific ocean and have an expected lifespan of 100 to 200 years. They reside in the low tide zones and use their spines to crawl on the ocean surface.
- LamelliBrachia Tube Worm: LamelliBrachia Tube Worms are found deep inside the seawater. According to the available data, they have an average lifespan of 170 to 250 years. They continue to grow in length slowly throughout their life and can grow as long as 6 feet. The LamelliBrachia species is mainly found in the Atlantic Ocean, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico Basin. These are long size worms that live along with hydrocarbon cold seep vents on the ocean surface.
- Tuatara: Tuatara is a species whose existence could be millions of years old. They are the only living members of the Sphenodontia family that existed even 200 million years ago. The reptiles are also one of the oldest living vertebrates on the planet. The average lifespan of Tuatara is nearly a century. They continue to grow in size until the age of 35 to 40. The long-living reptiles can only be found in New Zealand.
- Geoduck Clam: The bizarre creatures are known to live for as long as 165 years. They undergo rapid growth in the first four years of their lives and can add inches to their length in a year. They can grow as long as 3 feet and are known for their unique necks. The shell of a Geoduck Clam is nearly 8 inches long. They are found in California, Alaska and another region of the Pacific Northwest.
- Greenland Shark: It took the world centuries to understand that dinosaurs weren’t the first creatures ever to step on the earth. But here, we are not talking about the oldest creatures but the creatures with the longest lifespan. Greenland Sharks are officially the creatures with the longest lifespan. The average lifespan of Greenland sharks is 272 years but the oldest of them has lived for over 392 years. They are found in the Arctic and the North Atlantic and can grow as long as 14 feet. However, the population of Greenland Sharks is declining constantly.
