Brandt’s Bat
For its size, the Brandt’s bat has an astounding lifespan. This tiny critter is the longest-living bat known. One of its kind from Siberia, that was tracked with bands in the early ’60s, lived 41 years. Others that were marked with bands lived in excess of 20 years. Since the longevity of mammals, in general, is based on their size, larger mammals living longer, Brandt’s bat is certainly an exception. The diminutive cave dweller, which has fur and is born of a live birth like all other mammals, is barely 2 inches in length and weighs a minuscule 8 grams. A hummingbird might match this bat ounce for ounce.
Scientists are studying the Brandt’s bat for its longevity. Specifically, they are looking at genetic adaptations that contribute to its longer lifespan to understand the genetic basis for why different species live longer.
Galapagos Tortoise
The largest tortoise in the world, the Galapagos tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra) is one massive reptile. Known as the giant tortoise, at an average of 500 pounds, but with a record weight of 1,100 pounds, it lives up to its name. Amazingly, it gets to this huge size as a herbivore. What’s more amazing is how long a tortoise can live. A Galapagos Tortoise lives over 100 years, on average. Since this is their average lifespan, the reptile easily reaches ages nearing 200, and makes them one of the planet’s longest-living animals.
Harriet, a Galapagos tortoise who was, according to some accounts, collected by Charles Darwin during his 1835 expedition to the Galapagos Islands, lived at least 175 years. Harriet died in 2006 at the Australia Zoo. A Galapagos tortoise doesn’t reach maturity until it’s almost 25 years old. When they nest, females dig a hole about a foot deep and deposit baseball-sized eggs into the hole. And that’s it. The baby tortoise must dig their way out after hatching. It can take the little hatchlings up to a month! Fun fact: The scaly mug of a Galapagos Tortoise was the inspiration for Steven Spielberg’s E.T.
Pacific Ocean Perch
The Pacific Ocean perch (Sebastes alutus) is commonly found off the coast of British Columbia, but they have been spotted all the way down to California. Its numbers have recovered and are now high enough to be commercially fished. Though it is plentifully found, one thing that is unique about this fish is its lifespan. As a very slow growing fish that doesn’t mature until 10 years of age, can live to be 98 years old!
Pacific Ocean perch, from the rockfish family, grow to be 20 inches long and just 4 pounds. These smaller ocean fish prefer a deep-water lifestyle most of the year and are preyed upon by Sablefish, halibut and sperm whales. They are sweet, firm, low in fat, and high in Omega-3s.
Mollusk
Mollusca comprise ten different classes of animals. Mollusk without shells include squid, banana slugs and octopus. Clams, mussels, oysters, and scallops are some of its shelled critters. In all, mollusks make up over 100,000 different species.
Its name comes from Aristotle’s description of this class of creature, he called them “the soft ones.” Fossil records show mollusks have existed for 500 million years, present in the Cambrian period during the Paleozoic Era. At least one mollusk is known to have lived 507 years.
Orca
Better known as the killer whale, the orca (Orcinus orca) is the largest member of the dolphin family, and, with no natural enemies, it is a vicious killing machine. Orcas are formidable predators at the top of the food chain. These intelligent carnivores are as large as a semi-truck and extremely powerful. Orcas hunt penguins, seals, sea lions, squids, birds, fish and even other whales. With four-inch-long teeth, they will sometimes snag a seal right off the ice.
Orcas can live for 60 years. On average they only make it about 29 years in the wild. However, one male known as Old Tom, spotted first in the 1840s, lived for 90 years. Orcas live in families, or pods, and reach the reproductive age at 20. Females stop breeding around age 40 and can live for many years after that. Granny, an orca studied by researchers, was thought to be 80 to 105 years old. Orcas can be found from the polar regions to the equator, though they are often spotted in the Arctic and Antarctic.