Maximum Life Span of Some Plants and Animals

While humans can live longer than 100 years, most medium or large mammals do not see 30 years. The longest lived mammal may be the bowhead whale, which some evidence suggests can live to over 200. Birds and small rodents generally survive longer in captivity than in the wild. The longest living fish is the sturgeon; and the giant tortoise lives longest among both reptiles and amphibians. The longest lived animal of all may be the quahog clam, which can live for over 400 years. These achievements are dwarfed by those of some plants and fungi, which are capable of lasting for more than 10,000 years.