How long do humpback whales live?
Scientists estimate a life expectancy of up to 50 years, maybe even longer. Years ago scientists attempted to age humpbacks by comparing the growth rings within the ear plugs, which proved to be unsuccessful as the whales do not always migrate annually, and usually sink when expired, so obtaining the ear plugs is nearly impossible. A fairly recent study of a relative baleen whale, the bowhead, proved to be more successful. Indigenous Indians of the north are allowed to hunt a few whales annually and scientists were given the eyeballs. Testing the amino acids behind the eye lenses they found several whales to be well over 100 years old and one, in particular, was 179 years of age! How long do humpbacks live? They simply do not know. Further studies have to be done on this.
