AnimalStats

Animal Lifespans: How Long Animals Live

How long an animal lives depends on its size, its metabolism, its environment and how many things are trying to eat it. As a rule, bigger animals live longer, cold-blooded animals outlive warm-blooded animals of the same size, and animals in human care outlive their wild relatives because they are protected from predators, hunger and disease. The table gives the typical lifespan in the wild for every animal in the database, with the lifespan in human care where it is known.

Longest-Living Animals

214 animals, A–Z. Tap a column heading to sort.

AnimalClassLifespanIn human care
African Buffalo Mammals 15–20 years25–30 years
African Elephant Mammals 60–70 years—
African Grey Parrot Birds about 20–25 years40–60 years
African Spurred Tortoise Reptiles 50–70 years (estimated)50–70 years or more
African Wild Dog Mammals up to 9–11 years12–15 years
Alpaca Mammals 15–20 years—
American Alligator Reptiles 35–50 years60–80 years
American Bison Mammals 12–20 years20–25 years
American Black Bear Mammals 15–20 years25–30 years
American Bullfrog Amphibians 7–10 yearsup to 16 years
American Crow Birds 7–8 years20–30 years
American Lobster Invertebrates an estimated 30–50 years or more—
American Robin Birds 2–6 years—
American Toad Amphibians 2–10 years10–30 years
Andean Condor Birds about 50 years70 years or more
Arctic Fox Mammals 3–6 years10–14 years
Asian Elephant Mammals 50–60 years—
Asian Giant Hornet Invertebrates weeks to a few months (workers); queens about 1 year—
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fish 20–40 years—
Atlantic Puffin Birds 20–25 years—
Atlantic Salmon Fish 5–8 years—
Axolotl Amphibians 10–15 years10–15 years
Bactrian Camel Mammals up to 40–50 years—
Bald Eagle Birds 20–30 years35–50 years
Ball Python Reptiles about 10 years20–30 years
Barn Owl Birds 2–4 years15–20 years
Beluga Sturgeon Fish 50–100 years—
Beluga Whale Mammals 35–50 years (possibly up to 70–80)—
Betta Fish Fish 2–5 years—
Black Garden Ant Invertebrates 1–2 years (workers); queens 15+ yearsqueens 15–28 years (28 is the record)
Black Mamba Reptiles 11 years or more—
Black Rhinoceros Mammals 30–40 years35–45 years
Blue Whale Mammals 80–90 years—
Blue Wildebeest Mammals 15–20 years20–24 years
Boa Constrictor Reptiles 20–30 years25–35 years
Bobcat Mammals 7–10 years15–25 years
Bonobo Mammals 30–40 years (estimated)40–50 years
Bornean Orangutan Mammals 35–45 years50–60 years
Bottlenose Dolphin Mammals 40–60 years—
Bowhead Whale Mammals 100–200+ years—
Brown Rat Mammals 1–2 years2–3 years
Brown-Throated Sloth Mammals an estimated 20–30 years—
Budgerigar Birds 5–10 years5–10 years
Buff-Tailed Bumblebee Invertebrates 2–6 weeks (workers); queens about 1 year—
Bull Shark Fish 12–16 yearsup to about 30 years
Burmese Python Reptiles about 15–20 years20–25 years
California Sea Lion Mammals 15–25 years25–30 years
Canada Goose Birds 10–24 years20–30 years
Cane Toad Amphibians 10–15 years—
Capybara Mammals 6–10 years10–12 years
Cat Mammals 12–18 years—
Central Bearded Dragon Reptiles 5–8 years10–15 years
Cheetah Mammals 10–12 years12–17 years
Chicken Birds 5–10 years—
Chimpanzee Mammals 30–40 years50–60 years
Chinese Giant Salamander Amphibians up to 50–60 years—
Cockatiel Birds 10–15 years15–25 years
Common Earthworm Invertebrates 4–8 yearsabout 6 years
Common Octopus Invertebrates 1–2 years1–2 years
Common Ostrich Birds 30–40 years40–50 years
Common Raven Birds 10–15 years25–40 years
Common Starfish Invertebrates 5–10 years—
Common Swift Birds 7–10 years—
Common Vampire Bat Mammals 9–12 yearsup to about 20 years
Common Warthog Mammals 7–15 years15–18 years
Common Wasp Invertebrates 2–4 weeks (workers); queens about 1 year—
Common Wombat Mammals 12–15 years20–30 years
Cougar Mammals 8–13 yearsup to about 20 years
Cow Mammals 15–20 years—
Coyote Mammals 6–8 years13–18 years
Dog Mammals 10–13 years—
Donkey Mammals 25–30 years—
Dromedary Camel Mammals about 40 years—
Eastern Gray Squirrel Mammals 2–6 years15–20 years
Eastern Newt Amphibians 12–15 years—
Electric Eel Fish about 15 years10–22 years
Elk Mammals 10–13 years20–25 years
Emperor Dragonfly Invertebrates 1–2 years in total; adults 4–8 weeks—
Emperor Penguin Birds 15–20 years—
Emperor Scorpion Invertebrates 5–8 years6–8 years
Emu Birds 10–20 years20–35 years
European Hare Mammals 2–5 years—
European Hedgehog Mammals 2–5 yearsup to 8–10 years
European Mantis Invertebrates 6–8 months after hatching (about 1 year including the egg)—
Fennec Fox Mammals about 8–10 years12–14 years
Fire Salamander Amphibians 10–20 years—
Galápagos Tortoise Reptiles 100–150 years (estimated)—
Garden Snail Invertebrates 2–5 years5–10 years
Giant Anteater Mammals about 14 years20–26 years
Giant Clam Invertebrates up to 100 years or more—
Giant Manta Ray Fish an estimated 40–45 years—
Giant Panda Mammals 15–20 years25–30 years
Giant Squid Invertebrates an estimated 2–5 years—
Gila Monster Reptiles about 20 years20–30 years
Giraffe Mammals 20–25 years20–28 years
Goat Mammals 15–18 years—
Golden Eagle Birds 15–25 years30–45 years
Golden Poison Frog Amphibians around 10 years—
Goldfish Fish 10–15 years—
Goliath Birdeater Invertebrates 15–25 years (females); males 3–6 years—
Goliath Frog Amphibians up to about 15 yearsup to about 21 years
Gray Wolf Mammals 6–8 years12–15 years
Great Hammerhead Shark Fish 20–30 years—
Great Horned Owl Birds 10–15 years20–30 years
Great White Shark Fish an estimated 40–70 years—
Greater Flamingo Birds 20–30 years40–60 years
Green Anaconda Reptiles about 10 years20–30 years
Green Iguana Reptiles 8–10 years15–20 years
Green Sea Turtle Reptiles 60–70 years—
Greenland Shark Fish an estimated 250–500 years—
Grizzly Bear Mammals 20–25 years30–35 years
Guinea Pig Mammals 4–8 years—
Guppy Fish 2–3 years—
Hamster Mammals 2–3 years—
Harbor Seal Mammals 25–30 years30–40 years
Hippopotamus Mammals 35–50 years40–50 years
Honey Badger Mammals about 7–8 yearsup to 24–26 years
Horse Mammals 25–30 years—
House Mouse Mammals 12–18 months2–3 years
Housefly Invertebrates 15–30 days as an adult—
Humpback Whale Mammals 50–90 years (estimates vary)—
Immortal Jellyfish Invertebrates about 1–3 months per medusa stage; no known upper limit with rejuvenation—
Indian Cobra Reptiles about 15–25 years (estimated)—
Indian Peafowl Birds 10–20 years20–25 years
Indo-Pacific Sailfish Fish typically 4–5 years, up to about 13—
Jaguar Mammals 12–15 yearsabout 20–22 years
Japanese Macaque Mammals 22–27 years25–32 years
Japanese Spider Crab Invertebrates possibly 50–100 years (unverified)—
King Cobra Reptiles about 15–20 years—
Koala Mammals 10–15 years15–20 years
Koi Fish 25–35 years—
Komodo Dragon Reptiles about 30 years—
Largemouth Bass Fish 10–16 years—
Leatherback Sea Turtle Reptiles about 45–50 years (estimated)—
Leopard Mammals 12–17 yearsup to 20–23 years
Leopard Gecko Reptiles 6–10 years15–20 years
Lined Seahorse Fish 1–4 years—
Lion Mammals 10–14 years20–25 years
Llama Mammals 15–25 years—
Luna Moth Invertebrates 7–10 days as an adult—
Mallard Birds 5–10 years10–15 years
Mandrill Mammals about 20 years25–31 years
Meerkat Mammals 5–8 years12–15 years
Monarch Butterfly Invertebrates 2–6 weeks (summer adults) to 6–9 months (migratory generation)—
Moon Jellyfish Invertebrates 6–12 months as an adult medusa1–2 years
Moose Mammals 8–12 years—
Mute Swan Birds 10–20 years20–30 years
Naked Mole-Rat Mammals a few years for workers, 17+ years for breederscommonly 25–30+ years
Narwhal Mammals 30–50 years (possibly up to 90+)—
Nile Crocodile Reptiles 45–60 years (estimated)50–80 years
Nine-Banded Armadillo Mammals 7–10 years15–20 years
North American Beaver Mammals 10–12 years15–20 years
North Island Brown Kiwi Birds 20–40 years30–40 years
Northern Cardinal Birds 3–5 years—
Ocean Quahog Invertebrates commonly 100–200 years (record 507)—
Ocean Sunfish Fish unknown; estimated at 10–20+ yearsup to about 10 years
Ocellaris Clownfish Fish 6–10 years10–20 years
Okapi Mammals 20–30 years20–30 years
Orca Mammals 30–50 years (females up to 80–90)—
Peregrine Falcon Birds 10–15 years20–25 years
Pig Mammals 15–20 years—
Plains Zebra Mammals 20–25 years25–40 years
Platypus Mammals 6–12 years15–20 years
Polar Bear Mammals 15–18 years25–30 years
Pronghorn Mammals 7–10 years10–15 years
Rabbit Mammals 8–12 years—
Raccoon Mammals 2–3 years15–20 years
Rainbow Trout Fish 4–6 years—
Red Deer Mammals 10–13 years20–25 years
Red Fox Mammals 2–5 years10–14 years
Red Kangaroo Mammals 8–12 years16–20 years
Red Panda Mammals 8–10 years12–15 years
Red-Bellied Piranha Fish about 10 years10–20 years
Red-Eared Slider Reptiles 20–30 years30–40 years
Red-Eyed Tree Frog Amphibians about 5 years5–10 years
Red-Tailed Hawk Birds 10–15 years20–29 years
Reindeer Mammals 10–15 years15–20 years
Reticulated Python Reptiles about 15–20 years20–25 years
Ring-Tailed Lemur Mammals 16–19 years20–27 years
Rock Pigeon Birds 3–6 years10–15 years
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Birds 3–5 years—
Saltwater Crocodile Reptiles 50–70 years (estimated)—
Scarlet Macaw Birds 40–50 years50–75 years
Sea Otter Mammals 10–20 years20–25 years
Seven-Spot Ladybug Invertebrates about 1 year, occasionally up to 2—
Sheep Mammals 10–12 years—
Snow Leopard Mammals 10–13 yearsup to 18–22 years
Snowy Owl Birds about 10 years20–28 years
Southern Black Widow Invertebrates 1–3 years (females); males a few months—
Sperm Whale Mammals 60–70 years—
Spotted Hyena Mammals 12–20 years20–25 years
Springbok Mammals 7–10 yearsup to 15–19 years
Striped Skunk Mammals 2–3 yearsup to 10 years
Swordfish Fish 9–15 years—
Tasmanian Devil Mammals 5–6 years7–8 years
Thomson's Gazelle Mammals 10–15 years15–20 years
Tiger Mammals 10–15 years20–25 years
Tiger Shark Fish an estimated 30–50 years—
Toco Toucan Birds 12–20 years20–26 years
Tuatara Reptiles 60–100 years—
Veiled Chameleon Reptiles 4–8 years5–8 years
Walrus Mammals 30–40 years—
Wandering Albatross Birds 30–50 years—
West Indian Manatee Mammals 30–40 years—
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Reptiles 15–20 years20–25 years
Western Gorilla Mammals 35–40 years40–50 years
Western Honey Bee Invertebrates 5–7 weeks (summer workers); queens 2–5 years—
Whale Shark Fish an estimated 80–130 years—
White Rhinoceros Mammals 35–40 years40–50 years
White-Tailed Deer Mammals 2–5 years15–20 years
Wild Boar Mammals 10–14 years15–20 years
Wild Turkey Birds 3–5 years10–12 years
Wolverine Mammals 7–12 years15–17 years
Yellow Fever Mosquito Invertebrates 2–4 weeks as an adult—

More fact charts

Weight Size Top speed Gestation / incubation Diet IUCN status