A giant Patagonian cypress tree that has survived for thousands of years in a forest in southern Chile is about to be certified as the oldest living organism on earth.
Towering at 28 meters high with a 4 meter trunk diameter, the tree named “Gran Abuelo” (Big Grandfather) is estimated to be over 5,000 years old. It is set to replace the 4,850-year-old Great Basin bristlecone pine Methuselah found in California, USA as the oldest known tree.
“No other tree has lived that long,” says Antonio Lara, a researcher at the University of Austral and lead member of the team studying the tree’s age.
The tree stands on the edge of a forested valley in the southern Los Rios region, 800 kilometers south of Santiago. It is Fitzroya capressoides, a Patagonian cypress endemic to southern Chile and western Patagonia.
In recent years, tourists have trekked an hour through the forest to photograph what has become the world’s oldest tree. As its fame grew, park rangers were deployed to limit access and protect “Gran Abuelo.” Methuselah’s location remains secret.
The Patagonian cypress is the largest tree species in South America. It coexists with other trees like canelo, plum pine and tepa as well as Darwin’s frogs, lizards and birds like the Chucao tapaculo and Chilean sparrow.
Though heavily logged for houses and ships from the 19th to 20th centuries, some giant specimens remain.
In 1972, ranger Anibal Henriquez discovered the tree during patrols. He died in 1988 while on horseback patrol, keeping its location hidden “so people and tourists wouldn’t find it,” said his daughter Nancy Henriquez, also a ranger.
Henriquez’s nephew Jonathan Barychevich grew up playing among the Fitzroyas and now studies the species. In 2020, he and Lara extracted a 2,400-year-old sample, estimating the tree’s age at 5,000 years using predictive models.
“80% of trajectories indicate this tree is 5,000 years old,” said Barychevich. They aim to publish results, sparking scientific interest in the research.
The ancient cypress forest holds untold secrets of longevity, survivors of a harsh yet magnificent environment. As the oldest known survivor, “Gran Abuelo” reminds us of life’s endurance and the timeless wonder of nature.
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