Why some animals don’t get weaker with age
While there are obvious signs that come with ageing for us – from grey hairs to bad knees, and hot flashes to the need for supportive socks – there are some species who don’t quite experience ageing the way we do.
Research has revealed some creatures do not grow weaker with age, and in fact adopt the reverse effects than what humans experience.
Owen Jones, the head scientist behind the study conducted by Nature International Journal of Science looked at the mortality rates of 46 different species to determine how they have changed over time.
The research found some animals get less fertile and closer to dying as they get older. However, there are creatures, like hermit crabs and abalone snails, that become more vibrant and their ability to be fertile remains unwavering.
Desert tortoises actually are less likely to die in their old age than they are in their younger days as they have basically lived through their most dangerous and deadliest years – every day after their days as a “baby” is basically smooth sailing from there.
What this means in the most profound sense, is that ageing and nature is not as clear and simple as we like to think.