World's Oldest Animals

Jonathan the tortoise and Mischief the cat may have hit the headlines for their longevity, but there are plenty of other creatures giving them a run for their money in the age stakes.

Mischief, the world's oldest cat, is 100 Photo: SWNS.COM Jonathan the tortoise was already well into his 60s at the end of the 19th ceremony Photo: EPA

• Rabbit: Fourteen-year-old George, from Tewksbury, Massachusetts in the US, was recognised as the oldest rabbit in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records earlier this year.
  The average life expectancy of a rabbit is six to eight years, making George an estimated 160 years old in human terms. His owners met at college and fed their pet Doritos.

• Cat: Spike, a ginger and white tom, died two months after his 31st birthday in July 2001 - making him the world's oldest cat.
  He was bought for two shillings and sixpence in London's Brick Lane market in 1970 and nearly died at the age of 19 when he was attacked by a dog.
  Spike's owners, from Bridport in Devon, used to put aloe vera gel into his cat food.
  
• Spider: The world's oldest spider is thought to have been a female from the Theraphosidae family, which lived up to the age of 28. The bird-eating arachnid was captured in Mexico in 1935.
  Dog: At 29, black Labrador Bella was thought to be the oldest dog in the UK until her death in September.
  She was bought from an RSPCA sanctuary 26 years ago and lived out her long life in Derbyshire.
  
• Guinea Pig: The average age for a guinea pig may be between five and eight years, but the official record is 14 years and 10 and a half months.
  Monkey: Bueno, a black spider monkey, died in 2005 at the age of 53 and was thought to be the world's eldest monkey.
  She lived a "stress-free" life at the Japan Monkey Centre in Aichi, 150 miles west of Tokyo. The average black spider monkey lives for between 30 and 33 years.
  
• Goldfish: Tish beat all the records by living to a ripe old age of 43 after being won a funfair in Doncaster in 1956.
  As he aged, his scales faded from orange to silver but his owner Hilda Hand said the key to his longevity was not feeding him too much and placing him in the sun every now and then.
  
• Clam: An ocean qahog clam dredged up off the coast of Iceland last year is thought to have been around 410 years old.

Gold will be Gold?

History of gold prices (in rupees):

 

1930: 180 per 10 gram

1940: 360 per 10 gram 
1950: 1000 per 10 gram 
1960: 1110 per 10 gram 
1970: 1840 per 10 gram 
1975: 5,400 per 10 gram 
2000: 3,000 per 10 gram 
2006: 5,400 per 10 gram 
2009: 15,700 per 10 gram.

 

Gold surprisingly gave 300% returns from 1970 to 1975 when world suffered worst ever recession after great Depression. Will the history repeat? That is the reason behind current "Mad Gold rush". But if you had invested in the Gold in 1975, your investment would have given negative returns for the next 25 years. 

Remember 2 things: 

1. Gold generally trades in the lower range around March and July. Generally, it is the best time to buy gold and marriage season is the best time to sell Gold. 

2. Below 11,000, Gold is a safe investment but above 15,000- it is only for traders but not for investors. 


Future of Gold: 

When stock markets were in down turn in 2002, Gold was at Rs 5,400 per 10 gram. Don't forget that Gold traded below 9,000 per 10 gram till 2007, means you might have got routine returns from Gold investment. But investors who made investments in gold in mid-2007 are now making 70% returns in just 20 months. But I don't know what will happen to gold investors who bought it at above 15,000 but they remain in losses even after 3 years.

Why? Gold will recede to 11,000 levels once equities make comeback. What happened to crude oil will repeat in case of gold also. Don't forget that Gold is not even an essential commodity. But Gold is a less volatile investment. 

Examples: 

1. Crude oil prices moved to $147 per barrel and Goldman Sachs people gave $200 per barrel target. It is now trading below the fundamental price at $35 per barrel. 

2. Sensex moved to 21,000 and analysts gave 30,000 target. It is now trading at 9,000 levels. 

3. Real Estate prices reached astronomical levels in 2007 but people bought land as if there will be no land available for purchase in future.

 

4. Gold – 15,700… what next?