Sharks That Live For Centuries

[Ben]

A Greenland shark might be over 500 years old, almost certainly over 200 years old.

What sucks is that stinky sharks can live for hundreds of years, but our dogs barely pass a decade. There's something unfair about that. :(

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/353/6300/702

[Firethorn]

A Greenland shark might be over 500 years old, almost certainly over 200 years old.

What sucks is that stinky sharks can live for hundreds of years, but our dogs barely pass a decade. There's something unfair about that. :(

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/353/6300/702

There's a breeding project for the dogs.
http://www.direwolfproject.com/project-future/

[MillCreek]

Coming soon to SyFy:

Sharkdog: no more begging for treats.

[cordex]

There's a breeding project for the dogs.
http://www.direwolfproject.com/project-future/

The Howard Foundation's first step?

[Firethorn]

The Howard Foundation's first step?

That sounds familiar....  Heinlein?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_families

Yep, Heinlein!

As for the sharks, can you imagine having your first kid at around 150 years old?  Wow.

[Sindawe]

The Howard Foundation's first step?

One would hope.

[Pb]

Creatures that have few predators generally evolve the genes for long life, since it ups their possible reproduction over a long period of time. (tortoises, elephants- and aparently these sharks)

Creatures with many predators generally only live a short time, as no matter how long their genes say they can live their is no reproductive advantage- they will be eaten before they can live long anyway. (mice, possums).

I read about an interesting study that found that possums living on a predator free island had evolved a longer than usual life span...

[charby]

Needs fricking laser beams.

[BlueStarLizzard]

What sucks is that stinky sharks can live for hundreds of years, but our dogs barely pass a decade. There's something unfair about that. :(

I wouldn't want to have my dogs live for that long. First of all, I don't think we'd appreciate them as much if we had so much time with them.

But more importantly, and this is the reason I disapprove of ownership of the long lived parrots, the longer the pet lives the longer you have *got* to be responsible for it. I have a dog that I got because someone else was, due to health and age, no longer capable of caring for the animal (and this woman should not have expected to be able to care for this animal). I may have another one move in soon. I've seen way too many animals end up homeless because the animal outlived the owner.

My point? Responsible pet owners do not *ever* take on a pet unless they have a reasonable expectation to be able to care for that animal until it passes from this earth *and* has a back up plan in case something happens.

I wouldn't want ANY pet that could be reasonably expected to outlive me.

[TommyGunn]

I wouldn't want to have my dogs live for that long. First of all, I don't think we'd appreciate them as much if we had so much time with them.

But more importantly, and this is the reason I disapprove of ownership of the long lived parrots, the longer the pet lives the longer you have *got* to be responsible for it. I have a dog that I got because someone else was, due to health and age, no longer capable of caring for the animal (and this woman should not have expected to be able to care for this animal). I may have another one move in soon. I've seen way too many animals end up homeless because the animal outlived the owner.

My point? Responsible pet owners do not *ever* take on a pet unless they have a reasonable expectation to be able to care for that animal until it passes from this earth *and* has a back up plan in case something happens.

I wouldn't want ANY pet that could be reasonably expected to outlive me.

Well,  my mother's cat outlived her....we just found another family to adopt the cat,   and the cat is happy,  plus it has another cat to play with, and a MUCH  larger home to run around in.

[BlueStarLizzard]

Well,  my mother's cat outlived her....we just found another family to adopt the cat,   and the cat is happy,  plus it has another cat to play with, and a MUCH  larger home to run around in.

Unfortunate, that's not the usual case. We aren't even a shelter and rescue and we end up with these kinds of animals dumped on us all the time.

Plus, I wouldn't say that someone who has an animal that will likely outlive them is completely wrong as long as there is a plan for the animal. My real beef is more with people who don't think this through, or assume that someone (family or friend) will take the animal.
Turns out people are bastards and think grannies sweet, old and well behaved animal is just "too much work" so they dump it on someone else when they can't convince the vet to euthanize it for their convenience.  (Speaking of which, anyone want a 15 year old lab mix who's as sweet as pie and very sociable?)

[just Warren]

Coming soon to SyFy:

Sharkdog: no more begging for treats.

Is that a Great White Wolf or is it a Great White Wolf?