• Question: Why do animal's have a shorter life then us ?

    Asked by jodieo to Betul, Bridget, Ceri-Wyn, Maria on 25 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Bridget Waller

      Bridget Waller answered on 24 Jun 2010:

      Interesting queston, some animals have much longer lifetimes than us! It depends on lots of factors. Broadly, larger animals tend to live longer than small animals. So, those with fast metabolisms (like mice) seem to age quicker. Those with slow metabolisms (like elephants) live longer (up to 70years!). Before the industrial revolution we wouldn’t have lived much longer than about 50…

    • Photo: Ceri-Wyn Thomas

      Ceri-Wyn Thomas answered on 25 Jun 2010:

      Only some animals have a shorter life span than we do- however some turtles live to be over 100! One actor in the Animal Kingdom may well be defense- birds and other animals with good defensive mechanisms to escape from prey tend to live longer than animals like mice, which can die if old age after 2-3 years. This may have something to do with stress hormones but I’m not entirely sure.

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