Enlarge (credit: NSF/UIC Photo) Naked mole rats are the longest-living rodents, with recorded life spans of over 30 years in captivity. They are native to East Africa, where they live in large colonies in underground burrows. Maximum species lifespan is usually correlated with body size but, like us, naked mole rats are outliers, with longevity quotients far exceeding those expected for animals their size (approximately 35g). We did it with hygiene, vaccines, and other modern public health measures.