Why humans, five whale species and some chimpanzees are the only known mammals to go through menopause has long been a mystery.
Why humans, five whale species and some chimpanzees are the only known mammals to go throughNow, researchers at the University of Exeter in the U.K. think they've found the answer: It's all about survival of the species.— short-finned pilot whales, false killer whales, killer whales, narwhals and beluga whales — live about 40 years longer than other female whales of a similar size.
"The process of evolution favors traits and behaviors by which an animal passes its genes to future generations," said lead study author Dr. Sam Ellis, a lecturer in psychology. "The most obvious way for a female to do this is to breed for the entire lifespan — and this is what happens in almost all animal species.
"Firstly, a species must have a social structure in which females spend their lives in close contact with their offspring and grand-offspring," he said in a university news release. "Secondly, the females must have an opportunity to help in ways that improve the survival chances of their family. For example, female toothed whales are known to share food and use their knowledge to guide the group to find food when it is in short supply.
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