5 Pets with the Longest Lifespans

No. 5 Arowana

The highly prized arowana or dragon fish is known to bless its owner with longevity and itself is also blessed with the same. It is common for arowanas to live over 20 years and some can live up to 40+. Wild arowanas have been known to even live more than 60 years.

No. 4 Horse

Not the most common of pets, the good old horse comes in at number 4. Horses have come a long way since the 19th century where most do not live past 30. With medical advances and better living conditions, many horses are now living well into their 30s. Surprisingly, the oldest horse on record is a horse from the 19th century, "Old Billy". He passed away at the age of 62.

No. 3 Parrot

Many species of parrots, such as Macaws and Cockatoos, can outlive their owners. How long can parrots live? Some are rumoured to live over 1 century! Poncho from the Jim Carrey movie hit "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective", at 87, is currently the world's oldest living parrot. Update: Poncho turned 90 in 2015!

No. 2 Koi

Coming in a close second is koi: a domesticated variety of the common carp. Bred under good conditions, it can live for more than 150 years! The oldest known koi, Hanako, died at the ripe old age of 226 in 1977. Most koi, however, do not have such fortune and normally live to around 30-odd years.

No. 1 Tortoise

Slow and steady, the tortoise takes the top spot. A symbol of longevity among the Chinese, tortoises are widely considered the longest living vertebrates on Earth. Pet tortoises, such as the Russian tortoise or the Greek tortoise, commonly live some 50 years.

A zoo, owned by the late "crocodile hunter", Steve Irwin, used to house Harriet, a Galápagos tortoise, rumoured to be the last living member of Darwin's voyage on the HMS Beagle. She passed away at the age of 175 in 2006. In that same year, Adwaita from India also met his maker. There are no official records of his birth but if estimates are correct, he passed away at around 255!