We’ll discover the oldest whales in the world that are over 200 years old!

Bowhead Whales (Balaena mysticetus): The Oldest Whales in the World

Bowhead whales are the oldest whales in the world and the oldest mammals on the planet. It’s believed bowhead whales live up to 268 years of age and they may regularly reach 200 years old. They’re also called Russian, Greenland right, steeple-top, aghveq, agviq, and polar whales. Most bowhead whales that have been aged were done so because they had antique harpoon heads embedded in them. The Inupiat have hunted these whales sustainably for millennia and found one individual that was 211 years old based on the harpoon head found. DNA analysis shows that the whale’s average lifespan may be as much as 268 years old though this is scientifically unverified. Since bowhead whales live for so long, they may provide scientists with information that will help extend human lifespans. The genome of the bowhead whale has been mapped and scientists believe they’re able to repair cells and mutated DNA in a way that people cannot. This may be why they have lower incidents of cancers and age-related diseases.

Where Do Bowhead Whales Live?

Bowhead whales only live in the arctic and subarctic. They spend their entire lives between 60 degrees and 75 degrees latitude. They do not migrate out of the area during the winter. These whales are adapted to the freezing and thawing nature of arctic waters. To breathe, bowhead whales are capable of breaking up to two feet of ice to get to the surface. Their heads are padded with extra blubber to smash through the ice. Their blubber is over a foot and a half thick to keep them warm in their cold environment. They do not have a streamlined physique because their blowhole is on a peak on the top of their heads. American whalers called them steeple-top whales because of this protrusion. This peak exists so they have an easier time breathing through small ice holes. These whales are like other arctic cetaceans and lack a dorsal fin. That’s because they’re adapted to travel under the sea ice and a fin on their backs would get in the way.

What Do Bowhead Whales Eat?

Bowhead whales eat krill, copepods, crustaceans, and small fish. They’re baleen whales which means they use big bristles called baleens to filter tiny organisms out of massive amounts of water. They consume over 220,000 pounds of food per year and almost all of their food is less than an inch long. Their baleen plates reach lengths up to thirteen feet and are the longest on the planet. These whales have the largest animal mouth on earth as well. Their mouths take up one-third of their body length and curve in a bow shape. This is why they’re called bowhead whales. Although bowhead whales are up to 60 feet long and weigh around 150,000 pounds, they’re still eaten by orcas. Orcas are apex predators that are known to attack whales as large as blue whales in packs.

Other Oldest Whales on Earth

Whales are some of the longest-lived animals on the planet. Most whales have an average lifespan of eighty to one hundred years. Some are much younger and some are much older, however. These are some of the other oldest whales in the world:

Fin Whales: 25-90 years.Blue Whales: 80-90 years.Humpback Whales: 40-50 years.Sperm Whales: 70 years.Orcas: 30-50 years.

What is the Oldest Land Animal?

The oldest land animal on earth is a Seychelles giant tortoise named Jonathan. Jonathan hatched in 1832 and is currently 190 years old. Another giant tortoise named Adwaita made it to 255 years old before dying. Jonathan currently lives at the governor’s official residence on the island of Saint Helena. While he is not native to this island, he was brought there in 1886 around the age of 50 years old. He has two female companions named Emily and Frederica. Even though he has lost his sense of sight and smell, he spends his days sleeping, mating, and eating.

Who Was the Oldest Person Ever?

The oldest person ever was Jeanne Louise Calment who died at 122 years old in France. She was born on February 21, 1875, and she died on August 4, 1997. She’s the only human to have verifiably lived over the age of 120. She was born before the invention of the zipper, plastic, and tea bags. Jeanne ate 2 pounds of chocolate per week and smoked until she was 119. She lived a leisurely life and never needed to work.  Lucile Randon who is currently living in France is the oldest person alive today at 118 years old. She was born on February 11, 1904. She’s the oldest survivor of COVID-19 after beating it at 116 years old. At 91 years old, she had a heart attack which required surgery. She almost died along with her late twin before her second birthday. Randon attributes her longevity to the need to live the years her sister did not. 

What is the Oldest Animal on Earth?

The oldest non-colonial animals on earth are ocean quahogs. They regularly live up to 400 years old. The oldest animal on earth, Ming the clam, had been alive for 507 years before it died.   Greenland sharks may come in at a close second though they’re elusive and not well understood. They may live up to 500 years and weigh over 2,000 pounds. They may survive for so long because they also live in the arctic which results in a slowed metabolism and lifestyle. Colonial animals live much longer than any other animal type. A colonial animal consists of simple animals that collectively form a bigger organism. Examples are some sponges and corals that live for thousands of years.

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Bowhead whales are the oldest whales in the world and the oldest mammals on the planet. It’s believed bowhead whales live up to 268 years of age and they may regularly reach 200 years old. They’re also called Russian, Greenland right, steeple-top, aghveq, agviq, and polar whales. What eats bowhead whales? Although bowhead whales are up to 60 feet long and weigh around 150,000 pounds, they’re still eaten by orcas. Orcas are apex predators that are known to attack whales as large as blue whales in packs.