In many animal societies, elderly individuals are critical contributors to their species’ survival, a new study has found. That’s why wildlife conservation must account for older animals, researchers say. Keller Kopf, lead author and ecologist at Charles Darwin University, Australia, told Mongabay he wanted to counter the idea that “getting old is always a bad thing.” While aging is often linked to declining health and function, there’s mounting evidence that older animals offer many benefits, Kopf said by phone. However, most such studies have been conducted for different animal groups in isolation, he added, so the new review aimed to bring those findings together. Older individuals, the review found, provide greater stability to their populations and ecosystems. For instance, some older fish mothers lay more eggs in better habitat than their younger counterparts, and some older bird parents provide better food and care for their chicks. Certain deep-sea corals that live for thousands of years provide critical food and shelter for a wide range of marine animals. These are “essentially irreplaceable within human lifespans,” Kopf said. The review also highlighted how older animals contribute valuable “wisdom” or knowledge accumulated over their lifetime to their societies. Animals like whales, elephants and some migratory birds and fish, for example, rely on older individuals for guidance to find food and better breeding areas. Conversely, in species with strong social structures, like wolves, the death of older leaders can destabilize the pack structure, Kopf said. The review is “comprehensive and compelling,” Tim Coulson, a…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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