X-Message-Number: 15156
From: "Jan Coetzee" <>
Subject: Whales live longer than thought
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2000 01:03:01 -0500

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Whales live longer than thought

        
     

San Jose, California - New research in California, Seattle and Alaska has 
indicated that bowhead whales in Northern Alaska routinely live over 150 years, 
and that one whale may have lived to the ripe old age of 211, according to a 
report on Tuesday. 


The research seems to overturn previous scientific theories that whales 
generally live to 80 or 100 years. 


It also indicates that the world's largest mammals are also the world's oldest 
mammals, easily beating elephants and parrots (70 years), tortoises (100 years) 
and the oldest human, who lived to the age of 122. 


"This just about doubles what everyone thought was the longevity of a large 
whale," said marine biologist Steven Webster, the founder of the respected 
Monterey Bay Aquarium, according to the San Jose Mercury News. 


Scientists arrived at their estimates using two methods. Some measured the 
changing levels of amino acids in the eyes of dead whales. This allowed 
scientists to estimate the age of three bowhead whales killed by Inupiat Eskimos
recently at between 135 to 172 years old. A fourth whale was estimated to have 
been killed at the age of 211. 


The evidence was corroborated by the presence of ancient slate and ivory harpoon
tips in the blubber of the whales, tips that have not been used since at least 
the 1880s when the Eskimos were introduced to steel-tipped harpoons. These 
whales were likely to have been swimming around for 120 years after surviving 
hunting attacks. 


Evidence of the bowheads' longevity is now likely to prod scientists to 
reconsider their estimates for the lifespan of other whale species, like 
bluewhales, humpbacks and grey whales, the report said. - Sapa-dpa




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