The longest living animal in the world is the fin whale, which manages to cure itself of cancer. How does?
The balenottere, o balene Bowhead, are the longest-lived mammals in the worldare rarely affected by cancer and this may be partly because their cells repair damaged DNA very efficiently.
Watch the gallery of the fin whale, the longest-lived animal on Earth.
The animal that lives the longest, the whale manages to cure itself of cancer
Large animals have more cells than smaller ones, so they should be more likely to get cancer, but according to science, this is not the case. This unexpected phenomenon is known as Peto’s paradox.
In fact, many large animals have very low cancer rates, including bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus), which can weigh more than 100 tons.
The sei whale (Balaena mysticetus), also known as the bowhead whale, is one of the largest existing whale species. Here are some of its features:
Dimensions and weight
Sei whales are among the largest whales. Adult specimens can reach a length of about 14-18 meters and weigh up to 100 tons. Females are usually larger than males.
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Color
The sei whale’s body is usually black or dark gray, with a distinctive white “mascara” around the eyes and on the lower jaw. They may have white spots on their belly and fins.
Sei whales have a large, massive head, making up about one-third of their body length. The head is characterized by a prominent crest called the “elbow”, which gives them a unique appearance.
Mouth
The mouth of sei whales is wide and rounded. Inside, they have between 300 and 400 long, flexible baleen extending from the upper jaw. Baleen is used to filter food from the water.
Longevity
Sei whales are known for their longevity. It is estimated that they can live up to 100-200 years, making them some of the longest-living creatures on Earth.
Climate adaptations
Whales are mostly found in arctic and subarctic waters. They have a thick layer of fat, called a blubber, which acts as a thermal insulator to withstand the low temperatures of their environment.
Diet
Sei whales are filter whales and feed mainly on krill, copepods and other small marine organisms. They filter water through their baleen plates, trapping food and ingesting it.
Canto
Sei whales are known for their complex song patterns. Males make long, melodious sounds to communicate with other members of the group.
Photo: Pexels, Pixabay, Wikimedia Commons, Flickr, WWF, Peakpx
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