Darran
Roger Freestone
Hanako ("flower girl") was a remarkable koi fish that lived for 226 years.
In 1966, Professor Masayoshi Hiro from Nagoya Women’s University's Laboratory of Animal Science dedicated two months to meticulously ascertain Hanako's age.
Like the method of counting rings in tree trunks to determine a tree's age, a fish's age is deduced by counting the rings on its scales.
These rings, discernible only under a microscope by an expert, reflect the seasonal variations experienced by the fish. A broader ring indicates the summer season, when a fish typically consumes more food and experiences accelerated growth. Conversely, a narrower ring suggests the winter months, marked by a slower metabolism in the fish.
Through this technique, Hanako was determined to have been born approximately in 1751 and lived until 1977. Remarkably, upon examination of the other koi fish sharing the same pond with Hanako, it was found that they too were all centenarians, with each surpassing 100 years of age.
In 1966, Professor Masayoshi Hiro from Nagoya Women’s University's Laboratory of Animal Science dedicated two months to meticulously ascertain Hanako's age.
Like the method of counting rings in tree trunks to determine a tree's age, a fish's age is deduced by counting the rings on its scales.
These rings, discernible only under a microscope by an expert, reflect the seasonal variations experienced by the fish. A broader ring indicates the summer season, when a fish typically consumes more food and experiences accelerated growth. Conversely, a narrower ring suggests the winter months, marked by a slower metabolism in the fish.
Through this technique, Hanako was determined to have been born approximately in 1751 and lived until 1977. Remarkably, upon examination of the other koi fish sharing the same pond with Hanako, it was found that they too were all centenarians, with each surpassing 100 years of age.
