Rare whales live nearly 2 centuries

Researching the eye tissue of the rare bowhead whale, scientists found that some individuals have a lifespan that surpasses generations. At least 1 male has lived for 200 years.

A bowhead whale rises above the Canadian sea surface.
(Photo: Nationalgeographic)

"About 5% of the population of this fish lives beyond the age limit and in some cases 160-180 years old," said Jeffrey Bada, a marine chemist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California, USA. said.

"They are really old animals, probably the most senior animal group on earth," he continued.

Bowhead, also known as Greenland whale, is a horned whale (instead of teeth), used to filter food from seawater. They live in the Arctic. Adults can reach 18 meters long and weigh more than 100 tons.

T. An