Animal Lifespan Comparison Tool

Select multiple animals and compare their approximate lifespans with bar charts and tables. See at a glance how long different pets and wild animals usually live.

Quick selection:

Selected 0 species. For a clear chart, 2–6 animals at a time is recommended.

Comparison (bar chart)

Please select some animals above. The species with the longest maximum lifespan will be shown as 100%, and others will be scaled proportionally.

Comparison (detailed table)

When no animals are selected, the comparison table is hidden. Once you tick some species above, a table will be generated here, ready to copy into homework, reports or slides.

Note: All lifespan values shown here are approximate ranges based on literature and experience. Real lifespans can vary a lot, depending on breed, genetics, living conditions, diet and medical care. This tool is for education and comparison only and is not a medical or legal guarantee.

How to use this animal lifespan comparison tool

Many factors influence how long an animal lives, including genetics, body size, habitat, diet, stress level and access to veterinary care. In general, larger animals tend to live longer: giant tortoises, elephants and whales can live for many decades or even more than a century, while small rodents such as hamsters and mice often have lifespans of only a few years. This tool collects typical lifespan ranges for a selection of common pets and representative wild animals, so you can make an easy visual comparison for study, writing or pet planning.

For pet animals (dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, small birds, aquarium fish, etc.), the numbers lean towards typical lifespans under reasonably good home care.
For wild animals (lions, tigers, wolves, whales, etc.), there may be a difference between wild and captive lifespans; here we use commonly cited typical values as a reference.
For long-lived species (giant tortoises, humans, some parrots and koi carp), individual animals can sometimes greatly exceed the stated averages.

Again, these numbers serve only as a reference range. The real life of a specific animal depends on long-term environment, nutrition, exercise and disease control. If you want to learn more about a particular species, you can look up its full profile on our website for more detailed information.