Earth's oldest animals are dying out

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-11-22 10:00

Australia; NSW; NT

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Thanks to us humans, many of Earth’s oldest, often largest, and most experienced animals are being wiped out from ecosystems, say Australian and international experts. Poaching, trophy hunting, culling, and harvesting often target the largest animals in a group because they have the largest antlers, horns or tusks and this coupled with pressures from habitat loss, disease, and extreme climate events can lead to the loss of large and old animals. From sponges and sharks to elephants and lions, there is a wide range of species where older animals are over-exploited, but the authors say this depletion of the oldest animals continues to be an underappreciated issue for natural resource management. They call for dedicated policy directives, political motivation and careful management to preserve these elders.

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Journal/
conference: Science

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Charles Darwin University, Charles Sturt University, Macquarie University

Funder: C.J. Jolly was supported by the Macquarie University Research Fellowship (MQRF). Authors have received funding associated with fisheries research, wildlife conservation and the ecology of large, old and aging animals.

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