Whale sharks may live up to a century, Cold War bomb dating reveals

[FfFfFfFF 58,059]

 Beautifully patterned with white spots and stripes, the 60-foot-long whale shark is the largest—and one of the most striking—fish in the sea. Though it’s beloved by ecotourists and native to temperate oceans the world over, very little is known about these behemoths—including how long they live.

Now, researchers using radiocarbon dating have identified the remains of a whale shark that lived 50 years, the most ever for that species, says study leader Mark Meekan, a fish biologist at the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

He adds that “it seems possible that these really big sharks could live to be about a hundred years old.”

Meekan says his study, published April 6 in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, is crucial to the conservation of these endangered species. 

“This study is really important because it gets rid of some of those questions about the age and growth patterns of whale sharks,” says Taylor Chapple, a research scientist specializing in sharks at Oregon State University.

Beyond being a vital part of the ocean ecosystem, whale sharks also support the ecotourism industry, which in many places offers opportunities to see or snorkel at a safe distance from the animals.

Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/04/whale-sharks-bomb-dating-age/

[Maleficent 6]

so do members of the British Royal family. You’re not special Whale B!tch 

[NFRatwell 23,290]

Omg Demi icon

[NFRatwell 23,290]

Ok let my fat ass make a joke y’all  Ily Demi 

[Woolfsmck 2,763]

Interesting...big 'peaceful' critters live the longest. .

Critter that talk shvt .. die young. .

[Maleficent 6]

27 minutes ago, Woolfsmck said:

Interesting...big 'peaceful' critters live the longest. .

Critter that talk shvt .. die young. .

also applies to the british royal family 

[Enchanting 166]

They're ancient and they've overstayed their welcome.

[PartySick 172,385]

Greenland sharks too. I think they're found some that are 400 years old

[PartySick 172,385]

1 hour ago, Woolfsmck said:

Interesting...big 'peaceful' critters live the longest. .

Critter that talk shvt .. die young. .

It's all in the cellular metabolism

An animal that grazes/filter feeds while slowly drifing through the sea will age slower than a predator that has to live fast and, usually, die young

There's also research going on looking into why large animals don't seem to get cancer

[sarahb 17,185]

It also helps your lifespan when you're simply too big to be eaten by most other animals