Older animals are often most vulnerable to the habitat-damaging effects of human activity.
However, there is now a push for "longevity conservation" to save aging wildlife, which is crucial to native ecosystems.
What's happening?
As Keller Kopf, senior lecturer in ecology at Charles Darwin University, wrote in The Conversation, his team published a report about some of Earth's oldest animals in the journal Science.
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The researchers assembled a team of interdisciplinary experts who worked with various animals in different terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. Animals studied included African elephants, deep-sea corals, Antarctic sponges, and fish.
They also used a machine-learning topic model to assess over 9,000 peer-reviewed documents to incorporate research about aging. They found that the loss of old animals is detrimental to species and the environment because there are many benefits to living a long life.
"Often the largest and most experienced, old individuals are most valued by humans and make important contributions to reproduction, information acquisition and cultural transmission, trophic dynamics, and resistance and resilience to natural and anthropogenic disturbance," the researchers wrote in Science.
Why are older animals important?
Not only humans but also animals get wiser with age. Animals draw upon their lifetime experiences and make better decisions based on the circumstances that affect younger animals under their care.
Research shows that long-lived animal species significantly influence population stability and reproduction rates, affecting how humans manage wildlife and fisheries.
Animals of advanced ages could be most resilient to the effects of our changing climate. They provide valuable services to stabilize ecosystems.
Well-established, older animals have the potential to survive despite odds against them and withstand extreme climate events like droughts.
"The loss of old and wise animals has devastating global consequences. Clearly, more must be done to prioritise their survival," Kopf wrote.
What's being done about the longevity of older animals?
The researchers concluded their study by emphasizing the importance of protecting older animals because of the ecosystem services and ecological roles they provide.
Longevity conservation protection measures include avoiding overfishing in areas with well-established fish populations.
Environmental advocates and legislators should consider longevity conservation while establishing new policies related to migration patterns and commercial development. Research and management operations should factor in the impacts of animal age as it relates to population resilience, community stability, and food web structure.
As an individual, you can educate yourself about the role of older animals where you live and in places you care about.
Armed with knowledge and a passion for conservation, you can join local efforts and volunteer with organizations that protect wildlife. Environmental groups and land conservation trusts are excellent places to get involved and learn about meaningful ways to contribute to the health of aging populations.
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