Meet The Longest-Living Mammal (Hint: It’s Been Found Alive With An 1880s-Era Harpoon In Its Side)
by Scott Travers · ForbesAsk ten people what they think the longest-living mammal in the world is and you’d probably get a range of answers, from humans to elephants to naked mole rats. Though all valiant guesses, you’d have to look to the sea to find the right answer. The oldest living mammal, based on current scientific knowledge, is the bowhead whale–which can live for up to 200 years.
The bowhead whale is a longevity expert for a number of reasons. One factor is its slow metabolism and low reproductive rate. Additionally, bowhead whales possess a robust immune system and have adapted to the harsh Arctic environment, where they face fewer diseases and predators (they are hunted only by man and orca). Their slow aging process is also linked to their ability to repair cellular damage and resist age-related diseases.
We know this because, in 2007, a team of native Alaskan whalers found a harpoon tip in the neck of a 50-foot bowhead whale while carving it up with a chainsaw. (Commercial whaling is illegal today but natives of the area are allowed to kill a fixed number of whales each year for traditional, non-commercial purposes).
The harpoon, dating back to 1880, was set in a one-foot layer of protective blubber bowhead whales utilize to regulate their temperature in the arctic conditions–which was how the whale managed to escape its attackers 130 years ago.
MORE FOR YOU
Apple’s Update Decision—Bad News Confirmed For Millions Of iPhone Users
BlackRock Reveals It’s Quietly Preparing For A $35 Trillion Federal Reserve Dollar Crisis With Bitcoin—Predicted To Spark A Sudden Price Boom
Election 2024 Swing State Polls: Pennsylvania’s A Dead Heat—As Harris Leads Michigan, Trump Takes Arizona
What makes its survival even more impressive was that this wasn’t your everyday Moby Dick-style hand-thrown harpoon. By the 1880s, the whaling industry was using “bomb lances,” specifically suited for arctic whaling where whales could dive under the ice when they sensed an attack. The bomb lances fired from whale guns had an exploding tip that would detonate moments after piercing the whale’s skin. This new invention was deadly efficient and resulted in the decimation of whale species. In the case of the blue whale, over 99% of the species was wiped out due to advancements in whale hunting and locating technology.
By some stroke of luck, this bowhead whale survived the onslaught and went on to live for another century with a detonated harpoon tip in its flesh—a remarkable feat that ultimately benefited science. Prior to the discovery of harpoon tips in bowhead whale flesh (of which a number of similar finds have been made), the oldest known whale was a 114-year-old fin whale.
And, while 200 years is a ripe age for bowhead whales, it doesn’t earn them the title of “longest-living sea animal”—not even close. Here are three other long-living ocean animals that put the bowhead whale’s age in proper perspective:
- Greenland shark. Greenland sharks are another impressive long-lived species, with estimates suggesting they can live between 300 to 500 years. Their slow growth rate and extremely low metabolic rate contribute to their extended lifespan, allowing them to thrive in the cold depths of the Arctic and sub-Arctic waters.
- Ocean quahog. This species of clam, found in the North Atlantic, can live for over 500 years. The oldest known individual, named Ming, was determined to be 507 years old when it was discovered. Their long lifespan is due to their slow growth and the ability of their hard shell to protect them from environmental stresses and predators.
- Glass sponge. Some species of glass sponges can live for thousands of years. For example, the deep-sea glass sponge Monorhaphis chuni has been estimated to live over 2,000 years.