12 Animals that can live longer than humans

Some animals are simply built to last — case in point, this little red-footed tortoise named Manuela, from Realengo, Brazil. She belonged to the Almeida family, but sadly she went missing back in 1982. The family thought she had gotten out when construction workers were renovating their house, but something much more baffling happened. Manuela never actually left the house but instead went into a room filled with old junk — and stayed there for 30 years.

When the family’s father, Leonel, passed away last month, they finally decided to clear out the room, and while they were going through things, a neighbor pointed out the turtle, who was hiding in a box of records. Needless to say, the family was thrilled but also shocked by Manuela’s ability to survive all these years on little more than nearby bugs. However, it’s no real surprise to those who know about the red-footed tortoise’s average lifespan, which is approximately 50 years. Giant tortoises can actually live beyond 200 years, if you can believe it.

The reason tortoises tend to live so long is threefold: (1) they grow very very slowly, (2) their vital body parts don’t become weak with age, and (3) they don’t need much energy to live. 

While Manuela’s tale is awesome, she’s far from the only one with insane survival skills. Here are several other creatures who could easily outlive you.