The world around us 1st class life expectancy of animals. Which animals have the longest life expectancy? Which animals have the shortest life expectancy?

The lifespan, or biological longevity, of an animal is the period from birth to its natural death. The biological longevity of farm animals is a species feature. Animals of each species have a certain, genetically determined life expectancy limit, which is hereditarily fixed. The lifespan of animals of each species is judged by established and recorded facts of longevity of individual individuals. Farm animals have great biological longevity, which is confirmed by the following examples.
On the collective farm. Lenin, Kirsanovsky district, Tambov region, a cow of the red Tambov breed Rozetka and in the Trostyanets breeding plant of the Chernigov region a cow of the Simmental breed Nezabudka were used for up to 20 years. From the first, a lifetime milk yield of 49,025 kg was obtained, and from the second, 86,900 kg of milk. At the Karavaevo breeding plant in the Kostroma region, cows of the Kostroma breed Krasu and Opytnitsa were used until they were 23 years old. A lifetime milk yield of 118,000 kg was obtained from Opytnitsa, and 120,247 kg of milk from Krasa. In Poland, the Chervona cow of the red Polish breed lived up to 28 years, and the Siva cow lived up to 35 years. The first calved 26 times, the second - 30. Siva's milk yield for the last lactation was equal to 2700 kg of milk. In Hungary, the Ram cow of the Hungarian motley breed was used for 32 years, and the cow Varan of the Hungarian red and white breed was used for 35 years. 27 calves were obtained from the Baraki cow, and 26 from the Varanu cow. Barani's milk yield for the last lactation reached 3981 kg. In England, two cows lived to be 36 years old, and one lived to be 40 years old.
In the breeding state farm "Otrada" in the Voronezh region, the sow Beatrice was used until she was 12 years old, and the sow Sorceress was used until she was 13 years old, which at the age of 13 farrowed 2 times and gave birth to 28 piglets. In Hungary, one queen lived for 22 years. She farrowed 46 times and gave birth to 414 piglets.
In Anglin, the stud books of Shropshire sheep record queens of 14-16 years of age. W. A. ​​Rice described a sheep aged 21 years. In the last year of her life they gave her the 35th lamb.
I. I. Mechnikov reports about a horse that lived to be 50 years old. Until this age, the mare Charles of the Arabian breed was used for light transport work on one of the collective farms in the Transcarpathian region. E. Davenport and W. Dgorst report that horses can live up to 54-60 years. The University of Manchester (England) houses the skull of a horse that died at the age of 64. I. I. Kuleshov reports about a horse that lived 67 years.
Thus, in the described cases, the natural life expectancy reached 40 years for cows, 22 years for pigs, 21 years for sheep, and 67 years for horses.
Many scientists have sought to find out the patterns of development and reproduction of animals of different species, as well as the factors determining their longevity. As a result, a number of theories have been proposed to explain the reasons for the longevity of mammals and birds. Currently, the following theories about the lifespan of animals of different species are most common.
1. The life span of animals is directly proportional to the period of their development, i.e. the longer this period, the longer their life. Proponents of this theory believe that the possible life span of animals is 6-7 times longer than the period of their postembryonic development. For example, a horse that mostly completes development by 5-6 years old lives 30-35 years; cattle, formed by 4-5 years, live 20-25 years; Sheep and pigs, which complete development by 2 years, live up to 12-15 years.
2. The lifespan of animals is closely related to their size. Large animals have a longer lifespan than small ones. Rabbits have a shorter lifespan than dogs, sheep and pigs, which in turn are less durable than horses and cattle.
3. Life expectancy is inversely proportional to the fertility of animals. Rabbits, which produce up to 30 rabbits per year, and pigs - up to 40 piglets, live up to 6-7 years, and horses and cattle, which are less fertile, live longer.
4. The lifespan of animals of various species is determined by the type of their diet: herbivores are more durable than frugivores.
5. Life expectancy is related to the rhythm of breathing and heart contractions. Animals with a frequent rhythm of heart and breathing contractions do not live long: rabbits, in which it is more intense, live 6-7 years, and representatives of the same family, hares, with a slower rhythm of heart and breathing contractions, live much longer - up to 10-15 years . Horses have a heart rate half as fast as cattle, and their life expectancy is 2 times longer.
The assumption about the relationship between the growth period and life expectancy is plausible at first glance. However, the proportion proposed to substantiate this theory is far from accurate, since a number of facts are completely inconsistent with it. For example, a horse that reaches full development at 5-6 years can sometimes live up to 50-60 years, that is, not 6-7, but 10-12 times longer than the period of its growth and development. In other vertebrates, the relationship between growth period and lifespan varies even more. For example, a domestic goose has a fairly short period of growth and development, but lives for many years.
It is also impossible to find a direct connection between the size of animals and their life expectancy. If we take only mammals, then in some cases there really is a relationship between the size of animals and their life expectancy, which is confirmed by the above examples with rabbits, dogs, sheep, pigs, cattle and horses. This is explained by the fact that large animals need a longer period of time to build large body mass under other early conditions. However, among mammals there are many exceptions, indicating that the size of animals is not always proportional to longevity. Adult rabbits and hares are similar in weight and size. It would seem that their life expectancy should be the same. In reality, a hare lives twice as long as a rabbit. Poultry is relatively small in size and lives a long time. For example, geese significantly outlive many mammals and some much larger birds than themselves.
The different fertility of animals also does not determine their longevity. Sheep and pigs live approximately the same length of time, while pigs produce many times more offspring than sheep.
Various types of herbivores and carnivores have short and long life spans. Because of this, it is not possible to relate the lifespan of entire animal species to their type of nutrition.
Attempts to connect life expectancy with the structure and development of the respiratory and circulatory organs, as well as with the rhythm of breathing and heart contractions, are also insufficiently substantiated.
The most convincing theory is that of I.P. Pavlov, who believed that life expectancy in animals of various species developed in the process of their evolution. It is determined by the structure of the body, the degree of perfection of neural correlations in the body, and the general biological and living conditions of animals.
Biological longevity determines the timing of breeding and production use of animals of each species. Animal species with relatively long life spans, such as horses and cattle, are used longer compared to sheep and pigs, which have shorter life spans.
In each species, only individual representatives survive to the limits of the species life expectancy. The majority of animals of each species do not live to the end of their potential life (age limit), i.e., their individual life cycle rarely ends with physiological death. Almost all of them leave the farm before their possible biological longevity. This is explained by the fact that the period of use of animals of each species depends on their productive and breeding qualities. Animals are kept on the farm as long as they maintain these qualities at a high level. When productivity and breeding qualities noticeably decline, they are culled from the herd. A decrease in economic qualities with increasing age of animals also occurs as a result of their aging - a complex natural physiological process that completes the individual development cycle of the organism. With age, the metabolic rate of animals decreases and the balance of metabolic processes is disturbed. As a result, the relationship of the organism with the environment is weakened, adaptability to it deteriorates, which leads to a weakening of vital functions and the extinction of the life process. This is the cause and essence of aging.
Recently, in connection with the development of the science of enzymes - enzymology - changes in the properties of these biological catalysts that control all metabolic processes in the body have come to the forefront as factors responsible for the aging process.
Geneticists put forward two main groups of hypotheses about the aging of the body. Hypotheses belonging to the first group proceed from the fact that in the genetic apparatus of a cell, in its chromosomes, there is a special “aging program”. Just as the embryonic development of the embryo, the growth and formation of the individual is controlled by the coordinated work of the genetic apparatus, so aging is controlled by the corresponding part of the individual development program. At a certain point in life, this program is turned on and the aging process begins. According to the hypotheses of the second group, aging is not part of a genetically predetermined program, but its by-product. Organisms begin to age “after the exhaustion of their biological development program,” that is, after they have fulfilled their main biological purpose - the reproduction of a new generation. Consequently, aging is an “extra-program” process of destruction of a living system, which has become useless from the standpoint of the evolution of the species.
To establish to what age animals retain economically useful qualities at a high level, it is necessary to understand the patterns of individual development and age-related changes in the biological characteristics of the organism.
Based on knowledge of these patterns, it is possible to determine the rational timing of breeding and production use of animals, which results in the greatest zootechnical and economic effect.
In-depth knowledge of the patterns of age variability is necessary both for the long-term effective use of highly productive animals and for improving existing breeds.

LIFESPAN OF PETS AND NOT ONLY ANIMALS... Not a single mammal can compare in longevity with a human. And yet we make four-legged friends for ourselves, knowing that their life is short-lived. Who lives how long? When does he grow up and get old? Records The longest life expectancy among domestic animals is recorded for a hamster in England - 19 years, a rabbit in Tasmania - 18 years 10 months, a guinea pig in England - 14 years 10 months, a house mouse - also in England - 7 years 7 months. The lifespan of most dogs is 8-12 years, rarely do any of them live to 15 years of age. Nature is, one might say, stingy when it comes to dogs. But even among dogs there are long-livers. An Australian dog named Bluey lived for 29 years and 5 months. For almost 20 years she grazed cattle and sheep with her owner Les Holly. There is a long-lived dog in the Nizhny Novgorod region. In Vache there lives a husky whose authentic age is 21 years. To establish proper relationships between humans and animals, sometimes knowledge of age appropriateness comes to the rescue. Thus, according to the French magazine Le Dobermann, there are the following correspondences between the ages of dogs and humans.

7 years - 7 - 49 years 8 years - 7 - 56 years 9 years - 7 - 63 years 10 years - 6.5 - 65 years 11 years - 6.5 - 71 years 12 years - 6.3 - 75 years 13 years - 6.2 - 80 years 14 years - 6 - 84 years 15 years - 5.8 - 87 years 16 years - 5.6 - 89 years. The American Home Guide for Cat Owners provides a table comparing the ages of cats and humans:

The longevity record for a cat is 28 years. How old was she in human terms? The oldest domestic animal whose age has been accurately determined was not a cat or a dog, but a cow named Modoc, who lived 78 years. She was brought from Germany to the United States at the age of two in 1898. Modoc graduated from The Cow Age in California in 1975. Maybe, in order not to injure yourself, get a cow as a four-legged companion? Life expectancy of dogs of different breeds and some aspects of feeding, maintaining and treating these elderly animals. Currently, the number of dog breeds exceeds 400 - from a tiny Chihuahua weighing up to 2 kg to a giant St. Bernard weighing 80 kg and above. Despite the fact that dogs of any breed are one biological species (Canis familiaris), the enormous differences in the anatomical structure of animals of different breeds affect the quality of life of pets and are paramount in determining its duration. The ratio of the age of dogs to the age of humans, according to various authors, ranges from 5-7 years of a person to 1 year of a dog’s life. A dog, as a companion, as a protector and friend, lives the same life with its owner for quite a long time. Paying due attention to your dog's naturally declining health will help prolong your time together. Below is a table of the average life expectancy of dogs of different breeds.

From the above data it is clear that the larger the dog, the shorter it lives, and the small genetic material of new exotic breeds, along with a certain “fashion” for some breeds (for example, the Rottweiler 11 years ago) affects the number and severity of diseases of these animals and, consequently , on their lifespan. A feature of feeding dogs after 5 years of age is a properly selected calorie diet in the direction of reducing the latter. For dogs of large breeds (St. Bernards, Caucasian Shepherds), in order to prevent gastric dilation and intestinal volvulus, reduce the amount of bulk food (porridge, vegetables) and increase the number of feedings to 3 per day with a uniform decrease in the volume of each serving. In order to prevent a number of congestion in the large intestine, from 5-7 years of age, 5-15 ml of vegetable oil is added to the food daily. Bones are completely excluded from the diet. Vitamins and minerals must be given regularly to dogs after 8 years of age, and the complex of vitamins and minerals is close in composition to that for dogs under 1 year of age. Animals are given water as usual, however, prolonged severe thirst should be the reason for the owner of an older dog to contact a veterinarian in order to avoid possible diseases. Of course, the life expectancy of animals largely depends on the conditions of keeping and feeding the animals. Typically, domestic animals have a longer lifespan than stray animals of the same species. Many animals in zoos live longer than their “free” relatives, thanks to the fact that specialists closely monitor their nutrition and the conditions of their detention. However, it also happens that animals in captivity live less than in nature. This happens with exotic animals, whose owners are often not aware of the rules for caring for them. The average lifespan of cats is 10-15 years (in fact, with good care, cats can easily live up to 20-22 years, so the figures of 10-15 years are objective only for free-ranging cats that are not sterilized or vaccinated). For various reasons, stray cats live much shorter: 3-5 years. There are also long-lived cats. Thus, according to the Guinness Book of Records, the spotted cat Ma from the UK and the Granpa Rex Alen cat from the USA lived the longest of all known domestic cats, 34 years each. Unlike cats, the average lifespan of dogs varies greatly depending on the breed. The shortest life expectancy is for those dog breeds that are large, and the longest for “small” breeds. The following data clearly confirms this: The average life expectancy of American Staffordshire Terriers is about 13 years; English bulldogs - 8-10 years; English spaniels - 10-14 years; Dogo Argentino - 13-15 years; Bassets - 9-11 years old; Boxers - 10-12 years old; Bolonok - 18-20 years old; Large poodles - 15-17 years; Dogues de Bordeaux - 7-8 years; West Siberian Laikas - 10-14 years; Yorkshire Terriers – 12-15 years; Caucasian Shepherd Dogs - 9-11 years; Pugs - 13-15 years old; Great Danes - 7-8 years; German Shepherds - 10-14 years old; Rottweilers - 9-12 years; Dachshunds - 12–14 years old; Toy terriers - 12-13 years old; Chihuahua - 15–17 years old; Airedale Terriers - 10-13 years old. The life of rodents is usually not as long as the life of cats and dogs. Mice live on average 1-2 years, although some individuals reach 5-6 years; Rats live 2-3 years, there are long-lived rats whose age reaches 6 or more years, however, many rats die young. Hamsters live 1.5-3 years; Guinea pigs live 6-8 years; Chinchillas live 15 years; Chipmunks live 10 years or more; Rabbits live on average up to 12 years. The average lifespan of horses is 20-25 years. The maximum reliably known lifespan of a horse was 62 years. For ponies this figure is lower. The oldest pony was 54 years old. According to livestock breeders, the life expectancy of cows is about 20 years, some live up to 35, bulls live a little less: 15-20 years. The total lifespan of elephants is 60-70 years; The lifespan of bears is 30-45 years; The average lifespan of foxes is 6-8 years, but in captivity they can live up to 20 years or longer; The lifespan of beavers is usually 10-12 years, although in favorable conditions in zoos they live up to 20 years; The lifespan of macaques ranges from 15 to 20 years; in captivity, however, they can live up to 30 years; The lifespan of orangutans in the wild is about 35-40 years, and in captivity they can live up to 60 years of age; Chimpanzees are about 50 years old. Of the vertebrates, turtles live the longest. Most of the information suggesting that their lifespan is slightly more than 50 years refers to individuals kept in captivity. Some species certainly live much longer. The Carolina box turtle (Terrapene carolina) found in Rhode Island was almost certainly 130 years old. The maximum lifespan is considered to be about 150 years, but it is quite possible that the real life expectancy of individual individuals is much longer. The lifespan of red-eared turtles, popular among animal lovers, is 30 (40-45) years, European swamp turtles are the same, some of them even reached 80 years. The total life expectancy of small lizards does not exceed 3-4 years, and for the largest (iguanas, monitor lizards) it reaches 20 and even 50-70 years, but, again, this age is achieved only under decent conditions for keeping reptiles. At home, iguanas often do not live even a year. There is a fairly popular misconception that many parrots live over a hundred years. Actually this is not true. Typically, birds in captivity live several times longer than in the wild, but even in zoos, only some species of parrots have an average lifespan approaching 40 years. Unlike dogs, parrots have larger bodies and a longer average life expectancy. Budgerigars and lovebirds live 12-14 years (maximum lifespan up to 20 years). Gray parrots: 14-16 years (maximum 49). Macaws can live up to 40-45 years, the maximum documented age of the red macaw is 64 years. Their average life expectancy is 2 times lower than this figure. The record holders are cockatoo parrots, living for about 30-40 years. There is reliable information about cockatoos 60-70 years old. Crows also live long. The maximum lifespan of ravens in captivity is 75 years. While in the wild, crows live on average 10 - 15 years. The average lifespan of passerines is 20 years, for owls 15 years, for diurnal birds of prey 21-24 years, for copepods 20 years, for ducks 21 years, for herons 19 years, for waders 10 years, for gulls 17 years, for ratites 15 years, for pigeons 12 years, for chickens 13 years. For domestic chickens, a maximum life expectancy of 30 years is noted (of course, this is the exception rather than the rule). From the order of owls, eagle owls lived to 34, 53 and 68 years. For daytime raptors, the following data is known: the buffoon eagle lived 55 years, the condor 52 and more than 65 years, the golden eagle 46 years, and according to other, but not very reliable information, more than 80 years, the griffon vulture more than 38 years. If you search on the Internet, you can find the average lifespan of almost any type of animal, but even from the data presented in this note it is clear that proper feeding and care significantly influence the lifespan of an animal in captivity, which means that animal owners need to pay special attention to the health of their pets !

The lifespan of animals largely depends on the conditions of keeping and feeding the animals. Typically, domestic animals have a longer lifespan than stray animals of the same species. Many animals in zoos live longer than their “free” relatives, thanks to the fact that specialists closely monitor their nutrition and the conditions of their detention. However, it also happens that animals in captivity live less than in nature. This happens with exotic animals, whose owners are often not aware of the rules for caring for them.

The average lifespan of cats is 10 - 15 years. For various reasons, stray cats live much shorter: 3 - 5 years. There are also long-lived cats. Thus, according to the Guinness Book of Records, the spotted cat Ma from the UK and the Granpa Rex cat Alen from the USA lived the longest of all known domestic cats, 34 years each.

Unlike cats, the average lifespan of dogs varies greatly depending on the breed. The shortest life expectancy is for those dog breeds that are large in size, and the longest for “small” breeds. The following data clearly confirms this:

The average lifespan of American Staffordshire Terriers is about 13 years;

English bulldogs - 8 - 10 years;
English spaniels - 10 - 14 years;
Dogo Argentinos - 13 - 15 years;
Bassets - 9 - 11 years old;
Boxers - 10 - 12 years old;
Bolonok - 18 - 20 years old;
Large poodles - 15 - 17 years;
Dogues de Bordeaux - 7 - 8 years;
West Siberian Laikas - 10 - 14 years;
Yorkshire Terriers - 12 - 15 years;
Caucasian Shepherd Dogs - 9 - 11 years;
Pugs - 13 - 15 years old;
Great Danes - 7 - 8 years;
German Shepherds - 10 - 14 years;
Rottweilers - 9 - 12 years;
Dachshunds - 12 - 14 years old;
Toy terriers - 12 - 13 years;
Chihuahua - 15 - 17 years old;
Airedale Terriers - 10 - 13 years old.

The life of rodents is usually not as long as the life of cats and dogs.

Mice live on average 1 - 2 years, although some individuals reach 5 - 6 years;
Rats live 2 - 3 years, there are long-lived rats whose age reaches 6 or more years, however, many rats die young.
Hamsters live 1.5 - 3 years;
Guinea pigs live 6 - 8 years;
Chinchillas live 15 years;
Chipmunks live 10 years or more;
Rabbits live on average up to 12 years.

The average lifespan of horses is 20 - 25 years. The maximum reliably known lifespan of a horse was 62 years. For ponies this figure is lower. The oldest pony was 54 years old.

According to livestock breeders, the life expectancy of cows is about 20 years, some live up to 35, bulls live a little less: 15 - 20 years.

The total lifespan of elephants is 60 - 70 years.

The life expectancy of bears is 30 - 45 years.

The average lifespan of foxes is 6 - 8 years, but in captivity they can live up to 20 years or longer.

The lifespan of beavers is usually 10 - 12 years, although in favorable conditions in zoos they live up to 20 years.

The life expectancy of macaques is from 15 to 20 years; in captivity, however, they can live up to 30 years.

The lifespan of orangutans in the wild is about 35 - 40 years, and in captivity they can live up to 60 years of age.

Chimpanzees are about 50 years old.

Of the vertebrates, turtles live the longest. Most of the information suggesting that their lifespan is slightly more than 50 years refers to individuals kept in captivity. Some species certainly live much longer. Carolina box turtle age ( Terrapene carolina), found in Rhode Island, was almost certainly 130 years old. The maximum lifespan is considered to be about 150 years, but it is quite possible that the real life expectancy of individual individuals is much longer.

The lifespan of red-eared turtles, popular among animal lovers, is 30 (40 - 45) years, European swamp turtles are the same, some of them even reached 80 years.

The total life expectancy of small lizards does not exceed 3 - 4 years, and for the largest (iguanas, monitor lizards) it reaches 20 and even 50 - 70 years, but again, this age is achieved only under decent conditions for keeping reptiles. At home, iguanas often do not live even a year.

There is a fairly popular misconception that many parrots live over a hundred years. Actually this is not true.

Typically, birds in captivity live several times longer than in the wild, but even in zoos, only some species of parrots have an average lifespan approaching 40 years.

Unlike dogs, parrots have larger bodies and a longer average life expectancy.

Budgerigars and lovebirds live 12-14 years (maximum lifespan up to 20 years).

Gray parrots: 14 - 16 years (maximum 49).

Macaws can live up to 40 - 45 years, the maximum documented age of the red macaw is 64 years. Their average life expectancy is 2 times lower than this figure.

The record holders are cockatoo parrots, living for about 30 - 40 years. There is reliable information about cockatoos 60 - 70 years old.

Crows also live long. The maximum lifespan of ravens in captivity is 75 years. While in the wild, crows live on average 10 - 15 years.

The average lifespan of passerines is 20 years, for owls 15 years, for diurnal birds of prey 21 - 24 years, for copepods 20 years, for ducks 21 years, for herons 19 years, for waders 10 years, for gulls 17 years, for ratites 15 years, for pigeons 12 years, for chickens 13 years. For domestic chickens, a maximum life expectancy of 30 years is noted (of course, this is the exception rather than the rule).

From the order of owls, eagle owls lived to 34, 53 and 68 years. For daytime raptors, the following data is known: the buffoon eagle lived 55 years, the condor 52 and more than 65 years, the golden eagle 46 years, and according to other, but not very reliable information - more than 80 years, the griffon vulture more than 38 years.

Proper feeding and care significantly influence the lifespan of an animal in captivity, which means that animal owners need to pay special attention to the health of their pets!

Some are just curious how long do different animals live?. This page will answer all these questions.

Here we present a table that presents a comparative description of the life expectancy of certain animals. It is known that a huge number of different animals greatly exceed humans in life expectancy.

The secret of animal longevity depends on the conditions in which it lives. Therefore, it is very important to know what conditions are good for your pet. I suggest you find out more how many years do animals live.

How many years do dogs live

(the average lifespan of dogs varies greatly depending on the breed)

How many years do birds live

How many years do wild animals live?

How many years do insects live?

How many years do fish live?

Results

As you can see, with all the diversity of animals, the difference in life expectancy is very large. Due to the deterioration of the climate, the established level began to fall. This suggests that each individual has its own characteristics, which must be carefully monitored and try to avoid health problems.

Changes in metabolism, brain-to-body size ratio, habitat, and many unknown things affect the lifespan of different animal species. Some species live for hundreds of years

Changes in metabolism, brain-to-body size ratio, habitat, and many unknown things affect the lifespan of different animal species. Some species live for hundreds of years, while others can live for a few hours. In this collection you will learn about the life expectancy of animals that have the shortest life span on planet Earth.

Domestic Rabbit (6 years old)

Rabbits are small mammals found in various parts of the world. Domestic rabbits have an average lifespan of only 6 years. These animals differ in size and colors. Obesity and uterine cancer are the main diseases of rabbits that affect their short life expectancy. High consumption of root vegetables and fruits also causes many health problems. Rabbits require plenty of water every day and careful grooming. But nature took care of this problem by endowing these animals with a hyper-developed reproductive function.

Guinea Pigs (4 years old)

Guinea pigs are attractive social animals native to South Africa. This cute variety has a shorter lifespan of only 4 years. Guinea pigs are susceptible to a range of diseases. They also require intensive care and feeding at regular intervals. Only proper care can extend the lifespan of guinea pigs to 4 years. Among the diseases of this animal, I most often highlight bronchitis, scurvy and excessive obesity.

Mosquito fish (2 years)

Mosquito fish are freshwater inhabitants of many bodies of water in the United States. The lifespan of this fish is less than two years. Frogs and other fish often prey on mosquitoes, which also contributes to this duration. Because of this factor, the fish has adapted to life in salty water, where it cannot be attacked by predators. Mosquito fish can live in environments with water temperatures up to 42 degrees Celsius.

Chameleon (1 year)

Among the chameleon family, the panther chameleon has a shorter lifespan of only 1 year. This species lives in the Northern and Eastern parts of Madagascar. This chameleon reproduces more frequently due to its shorter lifespan. Interestingly, all adults die before the next generation emerges from the eggs. Crickets and worms are the main food for chameleons. They drink a lot of water and instantly change color, easily hiding from predators.

House mouse (1 year)

The house mouse cannot live longer than 11 months. This small mammal has a shorter lifespan, which is actually made even shorter due to the very harsh environment in which this species lives. The main threats to this rodent come from people and their pet cats. The mouse is very difficult to catch, as it runs very fast and can easily hide in the most unpredictable places. Due to their short lifespan, mice reproduce very intensively.

Dragonfly (4 months)

There are 5,000 different species of dragonflies. But this beautiful variety has a shorter life span of 4 months. Most dragonflies are captured by predators before they reach old age. Being in the form of a larva, these dragonflies cannot fly - this only makes the job easier for predators. Sometimes strong winds and sudden climate changes prevent the dragonfly from transitioning from its larval form.

Flies (4 weeks)

Houseflies are the most common and annoying insects in the world. They live for a shorter period - no more than 4 weeks. Flies grow from larvae in just a few days. Within the short life cycle of each housefly, the female lays up to 1,000 eggs. Flies are considered one of the main spreaders of diseases, which they carry by flying around the house in search of food.

Male ants (3 weeks)

Male ants live within an ant colony and their life cycle is only 3 weeks. Unlike regular worker ants, males have wings and are very lazy. Ant colonies are always founded by females. Males die immediately after mating with females.

Gastrociliary worms (3 days)

Gastrociliary worms, or gastrotrichs, are one of the marine microorganisms. They grow to a maximum size of 3 millimeters, and live for 3 days. Gastrotrichs are often attached to other aquatic bodies. Their transparent body contains male and female organs for reproduction. Gastrociliary worms most often swim with the current.

Mayflies (24 hours)

Mayflies have the shortest lifespan on Earth, only 24 hours. This species is also called ephemeral due to its shortest lifespan. There are 2,500 different species of mayflies in the world. In fact, most of them die within a few hours, or even a few minutes. The main goal of mayflies is reproduction. Interestingly, their digestive system also performs respiratory functions. Within this short period of life, they form groups and literally dance on every possible surface.