Southern right whales can defy age, living beyond 150 years
Although southern right whales have always been thought to reach impressive ages, scientists originally estimated their lifespan to be around 70-80 years. However, the latest research indicates that they can live over 100 years.
Southern right whales can live over 100 years, and 10% of them may live up to 130 years, according to recent research published in the journal "Science Advances." Scientists now estimate that some of these whales may live up to 150 years. This finding suggests that their lifespan could be nearly twice as long as previously believed. As reported by "Science Alert," it was traditionally thought that their maximum lifespan was 70-80 years.
Researchers have estimated the upper age limit for right whales by employing photographic identification of individual female whales over several decades. Individual whales can be recognized consistently based on these photos. With this data, scientists developed "survivorship curves," which estimate the likelihood of whales disappearing from the photographic record as they age. These survivability curves helped them estimate the maximum potential lifespan of the whales.
The upper limit of longevity, previously thought to be around 70 years, also applied to North Atlantic right whales. Unfortunately, recent studies indicate that individuals of this critically endangered species live an average of 22 years, with only a few reaching a maximum lifespan of about 50 years. The reduced lifespan of North Atlantic right whales is unfortunately attributed to human activity. Many whales die from becoming entangled in ropes and fishing nets or from ship collisions. Additionally, the growing issue of food scarcity, also caused by human actions, further impacts their survival.
Whales live longer than humans
Twenty-five years ago, scientists working with indigenous whale hunters in the Arctic discovered that bowhead whales can live up to 200 years, or even exceed that age. Evidence for this included stone harpoons embedded in whale blubber, used during hunts until the mid-19th century, which were found in whales that survived encounters with humans.
Analysis of proteins from the eyes of hunted bowhead whales provided further evidence of their remarkable longevity. Before this analysis, researchers believed that bowhead whales could live to about 80 years. It was mistakenly thought at the time that humans were the longest-lived mammals. Recent studies show that other whale species can also achieve impressive ages.
