Christy Bronoato, age 9, of Bronx, New York, for her question:

What animal has the longest life span?

A little mouse enjoys only a year of two of life. The soft pink earthworm may live to celebrate his tenth birthday ‑ if he is careful to stay away from hungry robins. The lion is an old fellow at 12 and rarely lives to celebrate his 14th birthday.

The worker ant lives less than a year but her mother the queen ant may live through 15 seasons. Cats and dogs live about 16 or 17 years. In the end, the canary outwits them for she may live to 18 years old. The chicken may reach her 20th birthday.

The bear, the dromedary, the horse and the owl may live 20 years. The big fat hippo may reach 40 and the rhino, the parrot, the goose and the swan may live to see 50. The elephant and the whale may enjoy 70 or more years of life.

All these creatures are infants when compared with the giant turtle. This ancient, armor‑plated, quarter‑ton monster may live to celebrate his 150th birthday and maybe longer. When it comes to a long life span, the giant turtle, without a doubt, holds the record.