Getting older is an inevitable part of life. While some people hate birthdays, others see them as a reason to celebrate. These 10 oldest animals in the world lived long, happy lives, and that’s something they should be proud of. From dogs to exotic reptiles, this list has it all!
Number Ten: A 29-Year-Old Dog. Born in 1983, Max the dog lived to an impressive 29 years of age, just missing his 30th birthday. He was a mix between a beagle, dachshund and a terrier, and he was owned by Janelle Derouen. He died in 2013.
Number Nine: A 38-Year-Old Cat. Though not currently recognized by Guinness, the oldest cat to ever live was Creme Puff, who died in Austin, Texas at the ripe age of 38 in 2005. Creme Puff was owned by Jake Perry, who owned another contender for oldest cat at one point named Granpa.
Number Eight: A 62-Year-Old Horse. The oldest horse lived to be 62 years old. Known as Old Billy, he lived a very full life as a barge horse, and he had a very distinct appearance. Because of the work he did, his back bent and his bones began to protrude, so he became well-known in the community.
Number Seven: An 86-Year-Old Elephant. “Grandpa Lin Wang” was an 86-year-old elephant captured from a Japanese camp in 1943 (elephants were used in World War II to transport supplies). Lin eventually moved to the Taipei Zoo, which is also where he died in 2003.
Number Six: A 117-Year-Old Tuatara. Though many people may not be familiar with this particular species of lizard, one of the oldest animals in the world is in fact a tuatara. Tuataras are known for their longevity and are found all over New Zealand. This particular 117-year-old tuatara is located in New Zealand’s Southland Museum.
Number Five: A 140-Year-Old Lobster. Urban legend states that undisturbed, lobsters can live forever. Though we can’t speak to that, we can present 140-year-old George, a 20 pound lobster found on Newfoundland’s coast in 2008. Though his age is just an estimate, a positive correlation exists between size and age in crustaceans, so his size (20 pounds) certainly indicates he’s up there. He was released back into the wild, so he may still be alive.
Number Four: A 183-Year-Old Tortoise. The second oldest tortoise on this list, Jonathan is from the Seychelles Islands and currently lives with the Governor of Saint Helena. His exact age is unknown since scientists cannot carbon date his shell while he is still alive, but Jonathan is believed to be about 183 years old.
Number Three: A 226-Year-Old Koi. Hanako the koi was born before the United States ever existed. She was a scarlet koi, and she died in 1977. Scientists were able to accurately determine her age from the rings on her scales.
Number Two: A 250-Year-Old Tortoise. Alipore Zoo in India is home to Adwaita, a 250-year-old tortoise. Adwaita was captured from the Seychelles Islands, and he eventually passed away in 2006.
Number One: A 507-Year-Old Clam. “Ming the mollusk” was 507 years old when she passed away in 2007. Though her age is remarkable, what’s even more interesting, and perhaps tragic, is the way in which he died. Ming was part of a group of clams collected from the Icelandic Shelf. Because the weather was so cold, Ming froze to death between the time when he was collected from the ocean and the time he arrived in the lab.
