Amazing Creatures That Lived Longer Than They Should Have

Adwaita the Tortoise (1750-2006)

Amazing Creatures That Lived Longer Than They Should Have

Tish the Goldfish (1956-1999). The oldest captive goldfish, registered on the Guinness Book of World Records, went to Tish the Goldfish. Tish was won as a prize at a fun fair, and achieved fame late in life after being recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records.

The average lifespan of a pet Goldfish is between 5 to 10 years, however, in the wild they can live as long as 25 years. Astonishingly, Tish the Goldfish, managed to survive until the age of 43! Although his age could not be verified by biological tests, investigators were persuaded that there was nothing fishy about the claims, and recognize his status.

Lin Wang the Elephant (1917-2003). Lin Wang was an Asian Elephant, which served with the Chinese Expeditionary Force during the Second Sino-Japanese War, and later relocated to Taiwan with the Kuomintang forces. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Lin Wang, along with twelve other elephants, was captured by the Chinese.

These elephants were used by the Japanese army to transport supplies and pull artillery pieces. The Allied forces also used these elephants to do similar tasks. Lin Wang became the most famous and popular animal in Taiwan. Compared to the average life expectancy of 70 for a typical Asian elephant, Lin Wang lived much longer and died at the age of 86. He is the longest-living elephant in captivity, surpassing Lakshmikutty from India who reached the age of 84, before she died in 1997.

Charlie the Macaw (1899-present). Charlie, also known as, Charlie the Curser, is a female blue and yellow macaw living at Heathfield Nurseries at Surrey, in the United Kingdom. Charlie is believed to have been property of Sir Winston Churchill, while he was prime minister during World War II. According to many stories, Charlie would often entertain people with anti-Nazi tirades. The incredible thing about this bird, is that parrots usually live between 50 and 70 years, but Charlie the macaw is currently 116 years old, and still going!

Hanako the Koi (1751-1977). The oldest known fish ever recorded was a scarlet, female Koi called Hanako. Hanako lived in a pond at the base of Mount Ontakein, in Japan, and the name translates as, “flower girl”. Perhaps the most amazing thing about this koi is that she was born in 1751 and died in 1977, at a grand old age of 226.

The average lifespan of a common carp is 50 years with others living over 100 years. This meant that Hanako was older than the United States of America!

Adwaita the Tortoise (1750-2006). Adwaita was a male Aldabra giant tortoise that lived in Alipore Zoological Gardens of Kolkata, India. Adwaita was reportedly given to the Clive of India, Robert Clive, of the East India Company by British seafarers who captured it from Aldabra, an atoll in the Seychelles.

The Aldabra giant tortoise weighed at a massive 250 kg, and lived on a diet of wheat bran, carrots, lettuce, chickpeas, bread, grass and salt. Unfortunately, his shell cracked in late 2005, and a wound developed in the flesh underneath the crack.

The wound became infected, which eventually led to his death from liver failure on 22 March 2006. At the time of his death, Adwaita was 255 years old, making him one of the oldest-living animals in the world. To put this into perspective, the average lifespan of a giant tortoise is 100 years.

Source: YouTube by Fact5