In the ocean depths hides all kinds of extraordinary life, from the tiny blue dragons, to the whales that keep great secrets. But the marine ecosystem is not only home to the most inspiring creatures, but also to those that live the longest. Among the swaying of the deep waters lives the world’s longest-lived animal, a shark that was born in the 16th century, at the time when Hernán Cortés arrived to colonize America.
When we think of the animals that inhabit the planet, we generally estimate their longevity in not so large figures. Unlike some tree species, which are known to live for millennia, animals have much shorter life spans. But how much exactly? This varies of course depending on the animal and species in question. Turtles, for example, can live up to 150 years, although some have broken the record by reaching 180 years. A figure that in itself is surprising compared to the average lifespan of humans, which generally does not exceed 90 years.
Another factor that interferes with knowing exactly how long animals live is the lack of data. Humans keep an exact count of how many years we live, but with animals accurately determining age, it can become a real problem. For this, science has developed methods to determine the average life and thus, know how long they are. And this is where everything becomes surprising.
Greenland shark: the longest living animal
Biologists discovered a species of shark that inhabits the Arctic seas, called the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) or also known as the boreal shark. Although it has rarely been sighted, data on the species were obtained by accidental capture of several specimens. A research team from the University of Copenhagen carried out the carbon dating and obtained surprising results.
The data obtained through the tests, yielded ages for the specimens ranging from 275 to 512 years. Which means that the average lifespan of a Greenland shark is around 392 years, almost four centuries. However, there may be specimens that are still much older than this and that reach an age greater than five centuries.
The Greenland shark is a very timid species, almost completely blind and guided by the Earth’s magnetic field. They swim very slowly following the magnetic field lines, so they save energy and that helps increase life expectancy. They are very slow growing, only growing one centimeter a year, although in that sense, the approximate age can be determined by their length. Therefore, when the researchers came across a specimen that measured 5.5 meters, they knew immediately that it was the oldest creature on the planet found by man. Suppositions that later the test confirmed and it was determined that the shark could have been born in 1505.
The discovery of the longest living animal on the planet completely changes the perspective of our ephemeral existence. It opens the reflection towards how fleeting our passage through life can be and the extraordinary wisdom of those beings who have seen the Earth evolve since ancient times.
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