How long do animals live?
Lifespan tracks body size and metabolic rate closely — with a handful of spectacular exceptions.
Almost exactly a human
73 yr is longer than 8 of the 12 references on this page.
Reference figures are measurements and are rounded; the unit conversion behind them is exact.
| Reference | Size | Yours ÷ theirs | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| mayfly | 0.0027 yr | 27,037× | One day as an adult |
| housefly | 0.077 yr | 948× | |
| mouse | 2 yr | 36.5× | |
| rabbit | 9 yr | 8.11× | |
| dog | 12 yr | 6.08× | |
| cat | 15 yr | 4.87× | |
| horse | 28 yr | 2.61× | |
| elephant | 70 yr | 1.04× | |
| human | 73.4 yr | 0.995× | |
| bowhead whale | 200 yr | 0.365× | |
| Greenland shark | 400 yr | 0.183× | The longest-lived vertebrate |
| ocean quahog clam | 507 yr | 0.144× | One specimen, dated by growth rings |
Worth knowing
- A Greenland shark does not reach sexual maturity until it is about 150 years old.
- Ming, an ocean quahog clam dredged in 2006, was 507 years old — it was alive when Henry VIII took the throne.
Frequently asked
What is the longest-living animal?
Excluding animals that can revert to a juvenile state, the ocean quahog clam at over 500 years. Among vertebrates, the Greenland shark at an estimated 400.
Why do small animals live shorter lives?
Mostly metabolic rate: smaller animals lose heat faster, run hotter per gram and accumulate damage faster. Bats and birds break the rule by living far longer than their size predicts.