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RESEARCH PAPER / 2025-10-13

Post-reproductive lifespan in wild mountain gorillas.

Nikolaos Smit, Martha M Robbins

Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig 04103, Germany. · pubmed

Abstract

Animals can typically maximize their fitness by reproducing throughout adulthood. Yet, in a handful of species, females cease reproduction long before death, highlighting an apparent evolutionary paradox. We used over three decades of life-history and behavioral data to examine the prevalence of postreproductive lifespan in wild mountain gorillas (

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Research summary

The paper examines the post-reproductive lifespan in wild mountain gorillas, suggesting that females may have a significant period of life after reproduction. This research is relevant as it explores aspects of longevity and the evolutionary implications of lifespan beyond reproductive years, contributing to our understanding of aging in non-human species.

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