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Animals & Wildlife

Turns out menopause might be an evolutionary trait to ensure the survival of a species

Only a few mammals live beyond child bearing years and human females are one of them.

Photo credit: Canva

Menopause might be evolutionary for human survival

Menopause can seem like one of those unfair things that only happen to those born with female reproductive systems. It's just one more thing to add to the list of things that those born of the opposite sex don't have to deal with. Menstrual cycles, hormonal and physical changes through pregnancy, the pain and recovery of childbirth, the pause in your career while caring for an infant, only to hit crescendo with menopause.

All those hormones that helped keep you balanced go careening off a cliff in the endocrine system. The whole process can feel unnecessary for those forced to experience it but there may be a reason menopause exists. Scientists have studied the phenomenon of menopause across different species. Turns out not every female animal goes through the process of shutting down reproductive organs.

For most animals, they reproduce until death, only experiencing menopause if there's something medically wrong or they're kept in captivity. Only three species of mammals live for a significant amount of time post reproductive years, orcas, short-finned pilot whales and humans. This revelation is what spurred "the grandmother hypothesis," which hypothesizes that these female mammal species live longer to ensure survival of the species.

blue and white whales Photo by NOAA on Unsplash

Both species of whales as well as humans assist their daughters in caring for their children. This allows the daughter to have more children, furthering the respective species. Yes, even whales help take care of their grandchildren by providing them food, which frees up their mother to reproduce sooner.

The Grandmother Effect, a 2009 study published in the National Library of Medicine shares, "women who remained vigorous beyond their fertile years may have enhanced their reproductive success by providing care for their grandchildren. This care would have enabled their daughters to resume reproduction sooner, endowing them with greater lifetime fertility. Genes of grandmothers possessing such old-age vigor would be more likely to persist in subsequent generations."

Short-finned Pilot Whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) | Flickrwww.flickr.com

There were studies done on chimps as well since they're the closest animal to humans and the results were surprising. The majority of chimpanzees reproduce until death but Ngogo chimps seem to go through menopause around the same age as humans, 50. Ngogo chimps live several years after reproducing but unlike humans and whales, they have no interest in helping raise their grandchildren. In fact, the daughters move away from their mothers once they reach maturity.

Though the study spanned from 1995-2016 to collect accurate data through urine analysis of reproductive hormones, scientists point out that menopause may not naturally occur in Ngogo chimps. While the chimps are technically wild, they live in the Kibale National Park in Uganda. They are not hunted by prey, have an unnatural access to quality foods including more meat. Outside of the national park, nearby chimps don't live beyond 50 while the ones within the park live into their 60s.

woman wearing multicolored blanket hugging the baby Photo by Rahul Vaidya on Unsplash

The Ngogo chimps living an unnaturally long life inside the national park may explain why their familial behavior differs from those of humans and the two whale species. One study outside of the Demographic and hormonal evidence for menopause in wild chimpanzees attempts to debunk the grandmother hypothesis which shows nearly all mammals living beyond child bearing years but other scientists dispute their findings as all the animals studied were living in captivity, which greatly impacts lifespan.

In the 2018 study published in Ecology and Evolution, their study of 52 mammals holds firm that only three live beyond menopause, with humans spending 40-70% of their lives post menopause. So, though the grandmother hypothesis is still just that as scientists continue to look for further evidence, it may just be true. Humans have evolved to experience menopause to help further the species and since women live longer than men on average, it doesn't seem like a far leap. No pressure or anything, grandmas. No pressure at all. Just the survival of the human race, no biggie.

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Planet

The 'Big 5' were trophy hunters' most prized kills. Now there's a 'New Big 5' to 'shoot.'

Photo by Mike Marrah on Unsplash

The "Big 5" is an old term from the colonial era, denoting the five wild animals in Africa that were the most sought-after kills for trophy hunters. Killing those five—lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo—meant ultimate success in the big-game hunting world.

Now there's a "New Big 5," but instead of a barbaric goal for trophy hunters, it's a beautiful goal for wildlife photographers.

The initiative was created by British wildlife photographer Graeme Green with the goal of raising awareness about threats to the world's animals including habitat loss, poaching, illegal animal trade, and climate change. In a global call for votes, 50,000 wildlife lovers shared which animals they most wanted to photograph or see in photos. And the winners are:

Elephant. Polar bear. Lion. Gorilla. Tiger.

These five animals will serve as global ambassadors for all the world's wildlife, including the one million species currently threatened with extinction.

The New Big 5 of Wildlife Photography - The Resultsyoutu.be

New Big 5 project founder Graeme Green said in a statement, "The 5 animals that wildlife lovers around the world have voted to include in the New Big 5 of Wildlife Photography — elephants, gorillas, tigers, lions, and polar bears — are not just some of the most beautiful, incredible animals on the planet. All 5 also face serious threats to their existence. The New Big 5 are the tip of the iceberg. They stand for all the creatures on the planet, so many of which are in danger. From bees to blue whales, all wildlife is essential to the balance of nature, to healthy ecosystems and to the future of our planet."

Jane Goodall has also praised the initiative, saying, "We now have the results of the New Big 5 project. These 5 animals — elephants, polar bears, gorillas, tigers, and lions — are such beautiful and remarkable species, and are wonderful ambassadors for the world's wildlife, from iconic species to little-known frogs, lizards, fish and birds. So many face threats to their survival from issues such as poaching, habitat loss and climate change. A million species are at risk of extinction. If we work together, we can stop this from happening. There is always hope. Change is possible if we each play our part."

The New Big 5 project encourages travelers to visit the places where these animals are found and support conservation efforts in those areas. Ultimately, it's a celebration of wildlife and nature photography and a call to action to save species under threat.

Humanity has learned a lot since the original Big 5 days, but trophy hunting still exists and there's much to be done to protect the world's wildlife. Hopefully the New Big 5 will inspire more people to work on conserving the environment and protect ecosystems so that animal life large and small can flourish.

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Heroes

A dozen former circus elephants finally arrive at comfy new life in Florida sanctuary

White Oak Conservation/Facebook

For many people, seeing any animal in captivity is a tragic sight. But when an animal cannot safely be released into the wild, a captive-but-comfortable space is the next best thing.

That's the situation for a dozen female pachyderms who have joined the Yulee refuge at the White Oak Conservation Center north of Jacksonville, Florida. The Asian elephants, who are endangered in the wild, are former circus animals that were retired from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 2016. The group includes two sets of full sisters and several half-sisters. Elephants tend to live together in multi-generational family groups led by a matriarch.

Philanthropists Mark and Kimbra Walter, who fund the refuge for rare species, say they are "thrilled to give these elephants a place to wander and explore."

"We are working to protect wild animals in their native habitats," the Walters said in a statement. "But for these elephants that can't be released, we are pleased to give them a place where they can live comfortably for the rest of their lives."

Up to 20 more elephants are expected to come live at the refuge in the near future.

According to the AP, Nick Newby leads the team that cares for the elephants and has spent the past few years getting to know each elephant and their habits.

"Watching the elephants go out into the habitat was an incredible moment," Newby said in a statement. "I was so happy to see them come out together and reassure and comfort each other, just like wild elephants do, and then head out to explore their new environment. Seeing the elephants swim for the first time was amazing."

The refuge covers about 17,000 acres and will eventually include nine interlinked areas that boast a variety of habitat types, including wetlands, meadows, and woods. the center is also constructing 11 waterholes and three barns that will hold veterinary equipment. As of now, the elephants have plenty of space to roam, whether they want to stay near the barn and their caregivers, wander through the woods, play in the mud, or swim in the pond.

It's already home to several endangered and threatened species, including rhinos, okapi, bongos, zebras, condors, dama gazelles and cheetahs.

"In the last few years, everything has changed for these elephants for the better — from their retirement to the way they interact with humans and the space they have to roam," said Steve Shurter, White Oak's executive director, in a statement. "For the first time in their lives, these elephants can choose where and how they want to spend their days."

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Disabled animals are getting a second chance thanks to an amazing prosthetic expert

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State Farm

Mosha, a work elephant, was carrying heavy logs on Thailand's border with Myanmar when she stepped on a land mine.

Mosha survived. But she lost a leg.

On the Myanmar side of the border, Motala, another work elephant, stepped on a land mine too, suffering a similar fate.

The injuries could have meant death for them both, especially Mosha whose unbalanced walk threatened her spine. Luckily, the Asian Elephant Foundation knew someone who could help these two wounded animals: Derrick Campana, an animal prosthetic expert.

Campana casts a mold of Mosha's leg before helping to make her prosthesis. Image via Cody Cutter, used with permission.

Mosha was the first elephant to ever receive and successfully use a prosthetic leg, so there wasn't a how-to book for this job. But Campana was able to cast a mold and size Mosha and Motala for prosthetics — just as he has done for thousands of other animals.

Campana and Mosha. Image via Cody Cutter, used with permission.

It has been more than a decade since Motala and Mosha were injured, but thanks to Campana's help, the pair have been able to live happily at the Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation, which is the world's first elephant hospital.

As one of the only manufacturers of animal prosthetics in the world, Campana has been able to help tens of thousands of animals — and not just elephants.

In fact, his usual customers are dogs, but he's also fitted a prosthetic on a llama, a ram, a mini horse, an owl, and a crane. All in all, he estimates that he's helped between 15,000 and 20,000 animals.

Campana and one of his patients sporting a new prosthesis. Image via Animal OrthoCare/ACC/Ezra Gregg, used with permission.

But Campana didn't actually start out as an animal prosthetist — he used to work on humans. That is, until a veterinarian brought Charles, her chocolate lab, into his prosthetics and orthotics practice.

Charles needed a prosthesis.

Campana thought it strange at the time that someone would bring their dog into a practice meant for humans. But he ended up building a successful prosthesis for Charles, and in the process, he realized how few options there were for pets with disabilities.

“It was kind of a lightbulb moment," Campana explains, “where I could apply the skills I learned on the human side of things over to animals."

Soon after, he started Animal OrthoCare, based in Sterling, Virginia, and he's been helping animals with disabilities for the last 13 years.

Image via Animal OrthoCare/ACC/Ezra Gregg, used with permission.

“We can do this for any type of animal if we think it'll be safe and functional for the animal," Campana says.

Angel Marie, a mini horse, was stepped on by her mother shortly after birth. With Campana's help, she's moving a lot easier these days. Image via Animal OrthoCare/ACC/Ezra Gregg, used with permission.

Some animals have an easier time adapting to their new limb than others do. Take, for example, Felix, a ram in Spain. He almost died after being attacked by dogs but luckily was rescued by El Hogar, an animal sanctuary. Felix was rehabilitated with surgery, daily massages, aquatic therapy, and acupuncture. However, if he was to ever walk again, he needed prosthetics for his front legs.

So, Campana designed a new pair for him.

Felix was on his feet in no time, but that's not the case for every animal.

Humans can be verbally taught how to use their prostheticsand can communicate pain and discomfort in detail. Animals can't — soit sometimes takes animals a longer time to get used to wearing their new devices.

Another challenge is cost. Insurance can help people in need of prosthetics. Pets? Not so much.

Most pet insurance plans won't cover a prosthetic, which makes it difficult. Luckily, animal prosthetics are actually cheaper to make, and Campana has found a way to cut costs by using high performance plastics that can be altered and modified to the animal.

Rather than expensive carbon fiber used for human prosthetics, Animal OrthoCare uses high performance and alterable plastics. Image via AnimalOrthoCare/ACC/Ezra Gregg, used with permission.

In this way, Campana is helping not only animals, but their families as well.

Campana's products help save families thousands of dollars while making pets more comfortable and mobile. Image via Animal OrthoCare/ACC/Ezra Gregg, used with permission.

To make sure that as many animals as possible get the help they need, Campana has also been working with nonprofit organizations and animal sanctuaries, such as the Humane Society.

Plastics Make It Possible, a partner of Animal OrthoCare and provider of the plastics they use, donated $20,000 to the Humane Society of the United States' Animal Rescue Team to help animals in need of prosthetics and orthotics obtain services like Campana's. They also donated raw materials to Campana's cause.

Those wanting to support Campana and Animal OrthoCare's mission to help animals regain mobility can also donate to Animal OrthoCare's GoFundMe page.

Image via Animal OrthoCare/ACC/Ezra Gregg, used with permission.

Campana's story shows there are so many ways to give back and help those in need.

When Charles, the chocolate lab, first arrived at Campana's practice, he didn't know what to expect. Little did he know it would foster an inventive and important new direction for his work and his life and would make a real impact for disabled animals (yes — even elephants) around the world.

It just goes to show, with a little creativity, we all can find new ways to make a difference.

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