The Mystery of Turtle Longevity
Why are turtles considered the “eternal life” in the animal kingdom?
How long can turtles live?
On December 3, 2008, the British ‘Daily Mail’ cited a statement from a spokesperson for the Saint Helena Tourism Bureau: “Jonathan is one of the three giant tortoises that arrived on the island in 1882. At that time, it was at least 50 years old, so Jonathan is now at least 178 years old.” A zoo in the United States has a turtle that has been in a state of semi-sleep since the 15th century, and it is now 400 years old. A fisherman in Asia caught a sea turtle that was 1.5 meters long and weighed 90 kilograms. Many oysters and moss were attached to its shell, and its estimated lifespan was 700 years.
Why do turtles live so long?
People have different opinions on the reason for turtles’ longevity. Scientific research shows that in human and animal cells, there is a cell division clock that limits the number of cell generations and its lifespan. Human embryonic fibroblasts can only be cultivated for 50 generations in the laboratory, while turtles can reach 110 generations. This shows that the number of cell generations in turtles is closely related to their lifespan.
Furthermore, turtles have a hard shell, which protects their heads, abdomens, limbs, and tails from external damage. At the same time, turtles also have a sleepy habit, spending about 10 months sleeping each year, which is both hibernation and summer hibernation, so their metabolism is even slower, and energy consumption is very low. This may also be a reason for turtles’ longevity.
What do you think? Welcome to leave a comment.
