A recent scientific study reveals new data on why whales live for many years, just like other marine animals.
The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, highlights that living in the ocean demands unique evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations favor a longer life and greater survival.
Why do whales live for many years? The sea as a point of evolution
The research was led by the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE) and the CREAF, both linked to the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). They were joined by the collaboration of CEAB-CSIC and the University of Barcelona (UB).
The study focused on how the transition of terrestrial mammals and birds to marine habitats prompted a shift towards slower life strategies.
The longevity of whales and marine animals. (Photo: WCS).
Unlike many terrestrial species that grow quickly and reproduce young, marine animals such as humpback whales reach sexual maturity at 10 or 15 years old and have only one calf every few years.
This strategy, although less common, proved highly effective in the marine environment.
Adaptations that prolong life
According to researcher Daniel Sol, lead author of the study, living in the sea involves challenges such as the difficulty of finding food in such a vast environment.
These obstacles favored physiological and behavioral adaptations that reduce the risk of mortality and allow a longer reproductive life.
These adaptations include slower development, lower fecundity, and delayed aging, key features that explain the longevity of marine mammals.
As life strategies do not leave traces in the fossil record, scientists turned to tools such as evolutionary models and phylogenetic information.
They analyzed more than 90% of current bird and mammal species to reconstruct transitions from terrestrial or freshwater habitats to marine ecosystems.
The results showed that these habitat changes were accompanied by significant evolution in longevity, fecundity, and development time.
The key: reducing the risk of death
whales
The study also highlights that lower mortality allows animals to invest more energy in maintaining their organism, rather than reproducing quickly.
This facilitates the elimination of harmful genes through natural selection, a process that contributes to a longer and healthier life.
In conclusion, a new perspective is offered on the evolution of longevity in whales and marine animals, focusing on how the marine environment shaped their biology to maximize survival.
Far from being a simple effect of body size or metabolism, the long life of these animals is an adaptive response to a complex and challenging environment.
