Some animals survive for centuries, but measuring their ages is difficult. Scientists may count growth rings, date tissues, analyse eye proteins, or study chemical changes that accumulate over time.
Colonies and individual animals must also be separated. A coral colony can persist for thousands of years, while a single vertebrate may live for centuries. The following ages reflect documented estimates rather than folklore.
Hawaiian Black Coral
A deep-water black coral colony discovered near Hawaii was estimated to be approximately 4,265 years old. Although coral resembles a plant, each colony is built by tiny animals called polyps. Its great age makes it one of the oldest known continuously living animal colonies.
Ming the Ocean Quahog
An ocean quahog nicknamed Ming was estimated to be 507 years old by counting annual growth lines in its shell. The clam lived in cold North Atlantic waters, where slow growth and a low metabolic rate may contribute to the species’ exceptional longevity.
Greenland Shark
Greenland sharks may be the longest-living vertebrates known. Radiocarbon dating of proteins in their eye lenses indicated that the animals reach at least 272 years. The largest shark examined had an estimated age of 392 years, although the calculation carried an uncertainty of about 120 years.
Bowhead Whale
Bowhead whales can live for more than 200 years. Evidence includes chemical analysis of eye tissue and old hunting equipment discovered in whales harvested by Indigenous communities. Their thick bodies and slow life histories are well suited to the cold Arctic and sub-Arctic seas.
Jonathan the Tortoise
Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise living on Saint Helena, was considered at least 194 years old in 2026. His exact birth date is unknown, but historical photographs and records indicate that he was already fully mature when he arrived on the island in 1882.
Rougheye Rockfish
Rougheye rockfish grow slowly in the cold waters of the North Pacific. Scientists have documented individuals approximately 205 years old by examining growth structures in their ear bones, called otoliths. Their slow maturity makes populations especially vulnerable to heavy fishing pressure.
Red Sea Urchin
Large red sea urchins along the Pacific coast of North America may live for well over a century, with some estimates reaching approximately 200 years. Researchers determine age through growth patterns and chemical methods because older urchins continue growing slowly rather than reaching an obvious fixed size.
Freshwater Pearl Mussel
Freshwater pearl mussels are exceptionally slow-growing animals found in clean rivers. Several populations contain individuals older than 100 years, and maximum estimates across long-lived freshwater mussel species approach 190 years. Their survival depends heavily on healthy rivers and suitable host fish for their larvae.
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