9 animals that have exceeded their lifespan and lived for many long, happy years

Perhaps many people would like to live for over a century. Humans can live more or less than 100 years, but their lifespan may be shorter compared to the life expectancy of some animals. Some animals surprised us with unexpectedly long lives.

We've compiled a list of animals that have lived a long time and that have captured the attention of biologists and the hearts of the public for their inspiring will to live. Some of them are actually still with us.

9 PHOTOS

1. Harriet, a tortoise that has lived for almost 176 years.

This female, who was originally from the Galapagos Islands, was known to be almost 176 years old. Harriet was born sometime in November 1830. Some people believed that Harrieta was a male when they first found her, which is why her name was Harry until scientists figured out her real gender. It was also said that Harriet was discovered by the famed biologist Charles Darwin in 1835, although it was later found to be endemic to a region of islands he never visited. Harrieta lived in the Brisbane Botanic Gardens for 99 years, after which she was brought to the Australian Zoo owned by Steve Irwin, better known as the "Crocodile Hunter". This was Harrieta's last home before she passed away in June 2006.

2. Min, a mollusk that has lived for almost 507 years.

A group of researchers from the University of Bangor, Wales, found out the age of this claim after it was caught in Icelandic waters in 2006. They had to do dendrochronological analysis, which is very popular for determining the age of trees or animals by counting the rings on their shell, cut, etc. The Ming got its name from the Chinese Ming Dynasty, which ruled China in 1499, the year the mollusk was born. This means that he was 507 years old.

3. Charlie, 100-year-old macaw.

This blue and gold-plated macaw first became famous in 2004 because its owner, Peter Oram, claimed that Charlie was at least 100 years old. It has been said that Charlie was born around 1899, and Peter Oram even claimed that British Prime Minister Winston Churchill owned it for a while. Although the latter was disproved by people close to Churchill, Charlie lived for about 114 years, the last year of which was spent in a pet nursery in Heathfield, Surrey, UK.

4. Grandmother, a killer whale who could live up to 105 years.

Also known as J2, some researchers believe the grandmother was born around 1911, while some with more conservative methods claim she was closer to 1960. J2 had a very specific characteristic: a gray spot on the dorsal fin. In 1967, she was captured along with a group of killer whales, but the catchers thought she was too old to be kept in a zoo or water park. If it is true that she lived to be 105 years old, that would make her the longest-living killer whale.

5. Lin Wang, an elephant who lived for 86 years.

This elephant, which belonged to the Asian elephant family, was born in 1917 and even served in the Chinese and Japanese armies from 1937 to 1945 during the Second Sino-Japanese War, World War II. After that, Lin Wang was sent to a nature reserve in China, and then in 1952 to the Taipei Zoo in Taiwan, where he became an integral part of the city. He became friends with his guardians and lived happily until 2003. Due to his incredibly good physical condition, Lin Wang lived almost two decades longer than the average Asian elephant, which has a life expectancy of about 70 years.

6. Tui Malila, another very old turtle.

This turtle from Madagascar lived for many years and became one of the oldest representatives of its species. In 1777, English explorer James Cook brought Tui Malilah back to Tonga as a gift for the royal family. Tui Malila lived in the palace gardens for 188 years before she died of natural causes in May 1966. Queen Elizabeth II was just one of many celebrities from a long list of people who met friendly Tui. Maliloy.

7. Poncho, movie star.

Few animals have enjoyed being in the spotlight and becoming celebrities like Poncho, the parrot you may recognize from several films. He appeared in 102 Dalmatians, Ace Ventura, and Dr. Dolittle (1998). After his short but hectic time in Hollywood, Poncho went to a pet shop in Shrewsbury, a city in the United Kingdom, where he was cared for until he passed away in 2018 after turning 93.

8. Jonathan, a turtle who lived for 188 years and still enjoys the joys of life.

No doubt turtles are known for their lifespan, and another example of this is Jonathan, the Seychelles giant tortoise species. Jonathan is believed to have been born around 1832 in Seychelles. When he turned 50, Jonathan was taken to Saint Helena, where he has lived since then in the governor's office. One of his guardians said that he is still in shape and eats normally, plays with other turtles of his kind, and roams freely in the fields to take long sunbaths.

9. Number 16.

Although the name of this spider is far from common, number 16, Gaius villosus, derives its name from a study conducted in Australia by arachnologist Barbara York Mine. Year after year, Dr. York Maine studied the behavior of number 16 after her nest was destroyed by a spider-hunting wasp. These wasps inject larvae into the bodies of spiders to serve as nests and food when the eggs hatch. Despite the attack, number 16 lived from 1974 to 2016 until he passed away at the age of 43, most likely due to the effects of a wasp sting.