Bowhead whales
Also known as the Arctic whale, the bowhead is by far the longest living mammal on Earth. Some bowhead whales have been found with the tips of ivory spears still lodged in their flesh from failed attempts by whalers 200 years ago. The oldest known bowhead whale was at least 211 years old.
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Comments
How do you even know if there still alive?
"what if it was merly stabbed by antique spears?"
HAHAHAHA .... lol dude ... lol ...
what if it was merely stabbed by antique spears?
Initial age estimates from harpoon head embedded in the whale were followed up using an age-dating technique called "Amino Acid Racemization". The oldest male whale was found to be approx. 210 years old.
Ages can be estimated by the rate at which one enantiomer (a stereoisomer - same molecular formula, different 3D configuration in space) converts into its opposite. Material was taken from the whale's eye.
.... More
Dude, thats sick! Super intense....
While the article says bowheads can reach 200 or more years, the Related Link to this article says, "Bowhead age determination is difficult, but their life span is probably similar to humans." http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/marine/bowhead.php
So, which is it?
A very good question... I don't know the answer, but I happened to look at the dates on which the articles were written, and the related link was written back in 2007. Perhaps these 200 year old ivory tips were discovered after that article was written, and they posted it as a related link just in case readers want to know more about the Bowhead whale.
But I don't know for certain. Just a thought.
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