Among the following animals, which one is known to have the maximum life span under natural conditions?

Introduction / Context:
Different animal species have very different typical life spans. Some small animals live only a few years, while others can survive for many decades. Knowing which animals live the longest is a common general knowledge topic in biology and competitive exams. This question asks which of the listed animals is known to have the maximum life span in natural or near natural conditions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The animals listed are eagle, tortoise, tiger, and elephant.
• We compare typical maximum recorded or expected life spans among these species.
• We assume reasonably healthy conditions without extreme captivity related harm.

Concept / Approach:
Life span is the maximum period an individual of a species is known to live. Tigers are large carnivores with life spans of about two decades in the wild, elephants can live several decades, and some birds like eagles can also reach a few decades. Certain tortoise species, however, are famous for extremely long life spans, often exceeding a hundred years and sometimes approaching or surpassing one hundred and fifty years. The approach is to recall this exceptional longevity of tortoises compared with the other animals listed.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider tigers. In the wild, tigers usually live around 10 to 15 years, and in captivity they may sometimes reach about 20 to 25 years, but not much beyond that. Step 2: Consider elephants. Elephants are long lived mammals, with life spans that can reach 60 to 70 years under good conditions, but rarely much beyond that. Step 3: Consider eagles. Some eagle species are known to live 20 to 30 years or slightly more, but they do not typically approach the ages seen in the longest lived tortoises. Step 4: Consider tortoises. Many giant tortoises and some other tortoise species are documented to live beyond 100 years, with some individuals reported to be around 150 years old or more. Step 5: Comparing these values, tortoises clearly have the maximum life span among the animals listed in the options.

Verification / Alternative check:
Examples of long lived tortoises, such as certain Galapagos and Aldabra giant tortoises, are frequently cited in reference works on animal longevity. By contrast, even the oldest elephants and eagles rarely approach these extreme ages. Popular biology summaries about longest living land animals often feature tortoises and some species of whales, not eagles, tigers, or elephants. This widely known pattern supports the conclusion that tortoise has the maximum life span in this group.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Eagle: Although it can live for several decades, its maximum life span is much shorter than that of long lived tortoises.
• Tiger: As a big cat, its life span is comparatively short, and it generally does not exceed two decades significantly.
• Elephant: Long lived but typically limited to around 60 to 70 years, still lower than the longest recorded ages for tortoises.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners assume that the largest animal in the list must live the longest and may choose elephant. Others may be influenced by the impressive status of tigers or eagles as apex predators. However, body size alone does not determine life span. Certain reptiles and marine mammals outlive most large land mammals. To avoid this error, remember well known examples of very long lived species, including giant tortoises, which are often mentioned in discussions of extreme animal longevity.

Final Answer:
Among the animals listed, the tortoise is known to have the maximum life span.