Evolutionary biologists at one time thought that mortality risk for wild animals was so high for that before an individual got old enough to start slowing down, reproducing less well, evading predators less well, etc., it would die of external causes. This misconception has been demolished by studie…

I have a project called Wounded Wings that collects observations of living organisms with injured, tattered, or damaged wings but are still flying.

I have definitely noticed aging animals, in particular a bobcat. I saw it multiple times and it appeared to have arthritis, as well as a bit of sway back and prominent hips like an old horse.

Yes, but it’s not major and it’s easiest to see on the head and face. As with humans the hair on the head and in their crest gets more and more white, wirey, and disorganized. The hair on their faces thins out, especially in the area we would call sideburns on a human. If two mature animals are r…

Some time ago, there was a thread (can’t recall the title) with someone (can’t recall who) asking if anyone had observed any life forms (can’t recall which) in their elderly or clearly old-age stage (can’t recall exact wording). What I do recall: At the time, I thought to myself, “I see geriatric E…

Yes! Thank you! Thank you also to any Moderator/Staff who might re-open that and move my post there, please? edit to add: thanks @cthawley !

Very cool! Thank you @ItsMeLucy ! That’s really interesting. I’m going to have to read up on that species. When you see them like this, is it a particular season? Do they tend to die shortly thereafter?

That insect is sort of omnipresent in the garden, always on the same plants (Solanum erianthum). Here is what I also realized recently: I have never come across the body of one. If they do drop dead, though, it is likely ants would move in before I could see it. Or maybe ants are what ultimately t…

This is my second fall/winter season on iNat (Ontario, Canada), and rather than mope again about the decline of insects with the cold, this year as a personal challenge, I have been going out nearly every day with the intent of finding something alive, crawling or flying around outdoors. (And I’m st…

[image] ItsMeLucy: Maybe the ants eventually just walk up like little grim reapers and are like, “It’s time,” when the bodies of the Edessa get too flat for their wings to open. That’s really interesting. We tend to think of deaths associated with old age as resulting from purely internal cau…

Wild animals showing signs of aging

General

spiphany December 26, 2023, 3:19pm 37

This one? https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/wild-animals-showing-signs-of-aging/42507

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Wild animals showing signs of aging

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