The World’s Largest Known Organism In Trouble

The world’s largest and possibly oldest living organism is Pando, a Quaking Aspen clone living in Utah. Best guesses place it at 80,000 years old but over grazing from deer and elk are threatening its existence now.

The world’s largest and possibly oldest living organism is Pando, a Quaking Aspen clone in Utah. Karen Mock, Professor of Molecular Ecology at Utah State University tells host Steve Curwood that estimates reckon Pando is 80,000 years old. But according to Paul Rogers of the Western Aspen Alliance, over grazing from deer and elk are now threatening the massive tree’s existence.