The 10-year fast: How the blind olm redefines biological survival

During 7 months of hibernation, brown bearsuse urea recycling to prevent muscle loss (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

2. Brown Bear

Brown bears hibernate for about seven months without eating. During this time, they recycle waste products to prevent muscle loss and survive entirely on fat reserves built up before winter.

3. Okinawa Habu Snake

This venomous snake from Japan holds a Guinness World Record for fasting, surviving more than three years without food. After a large meal, it stores fat and drastically slows its heart rate to conserve energy.

Emperor penguins have a 134-day record of staying without food during breeding (Image: Pexels)

4. Emperor Penguin (Male)

Male emperor penguins regularly fast for over four months during breeding, with a recorded maximum of 134 days. They rely on thick fat reserves and conserve heat by huddling together on Antarctic ice.

5. Crocodile

Crocodiles can survive two to three years without eating, both in the wild and in captivity. They slow their heart rate and digestion after meals, using stored fat to stay alive until prey becomes available.

Crocodiles store fat in their tails, which acts as a biological “slow cooker” or reserve fuel during long periods without food (Image: Unsplash)

6. Burrowing Frog (Cyclorana species)

These Australian frogs can remain buried in mud cocoons for two to five years during droughts. In this state, their metabolism drops sharply until rain triggers their return to activity and breeding.

7. Tardigrade (Water Bear)

Tardigrades enter a dormant state called cryptobiosis, which allows them to survive for decades without food or water. After rehydration, they revive and resume normal activity as if time had paused.

Desert snails have been reported to survive even four years easily without an active source of food (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

8. Desert Snail

Desert snails seal themselves inside their shells and can survive for several years without food. Studies from arid regions like the Negev Desert show they can revive even after four years of dryness.