How Long Do Sponges Live?
The average lifespan of a sponge is 10 years or less. Sponges living in a temperate region may not live past a few years, but those living in the deep ocean may live to be 200 years old.
Although a sponge can’t do much to increase its lifespan, it can reproduce to create offspring to carry on genes. Sponges reproduce by budding. Sperm is released and catches on other sponges where it is fertilized internally. The larvae is then released and settles on the ocean floor when it continues to grow into a sponge.
As a form of self-preservation, sponges have the ability to regenerate lost pieces broken off by strong water currents. Divers who harvest sponges always leave the roots of the sponge in place so a new animal can grow.