How long do Whales live?

How long do Whales live?

Whale Lifespan

Some whales have a lifespan similar to humans, particularly the blue and the fin whales as they reach up to 85 years old.

The life cycle of a whale varies from type to type, but the best known species have the following:

  • Humpback whales live about 45-100 years.
  • Gray whales live 25 to 80 years.
  • Blue whales live over 80-90 years.
  • Fin whales live about 85-90 years.
  • Minke whales live 40 to 50 years.
  • Sperm whales live about 75 years.

This is the traditional believing about the lifespan of whales, however, there is new evidence that comes from the fact that a fragment of an old bomb manufactured between 1879 and 1885 was found lodged in a old whale shoulder.

In 2007, scientist retrieved a fragment of a time delay bomb from a whale, which is believed to have been wounded in about 1890.

This later has made scientists believe that while is rare to find 100 year old whales, some may reach up to 200 years old.