Female Chimps Going Through ‘Chimopause’ – Yes, it’s a Thing!
Even Female Chimps May Experience Menopause
Wild Female Chimpanzees Join the Menopause Club!
In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have found evidence that female chimpanzees in the wild also experience menopause, just like us humans. This remarkable study took place over two decades in the Ngogo community of wild chimpanzees in Uganda’s Kibale National Park.
The lead author of the study, Brian Wood, an associate professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said, “In societies around the world, women past their childbearing years play important roles, both economically and as wise advisers and caregivers. How this life history evolved in humans is a fascinating yet challenging puzzle.”
What did the researchers uncover? Well, they observed a decline in fertility among the chimpanzees after the age of 30, with no births reported past the age of 50. These findings were published in the prestigious journal Science.
Before this study, menopause and post-reproductive survival had only been observed in a few species of toothed whales and, of course, in humans. The fact that this phenomenon now extends to our closest relatives, the chimpanzees, brings us closer to unravelling the mysteries of menopause. It also raises intriguing questions about why menopause and post-fertile survival exist in nature and how it evolved in our species.
To conduct this research, the team analyzed the mortality and fertility rates of 185 female chimpanzees from data collected between 1995 and 2016. They also measured hormone levels in urine samples taken from 66 females of different reproductive statuses and ages, ranging from 14 to 67 years. Now that’s what I call dedication!
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Jacob Negrey, an assistant professor in the School of Anthropology at the University of Arizona and co-author of the study, emphasized the extraordinary effort put into this project, saying, “It’s only because our team has spent decades monitoring these chimpanzees that we can be confident some females live long after they’ve stopped reproducing. We also spent thousands of hours in the forest collecting urine samples from these chimpanzees to study hormonal signals of menopause.”
The hormone data provided compelling evidence that the Ngogo chimp females experience a menopausal transition similar to that of humans, beginning around the age of 50. Just like their human counterparts, it was not uncommon for these female chimpanzees to live past 50. According to the study, a female who reached adulthood at the age of 14 experienced post-reproductive years for about one-fifth of her adult life. That’s approximately half as long as a human hunter-gatherer.
“This study reveals that menopause and post-fertile survival are not exclusive to humans but also exist in a broader range of species and socioecological conditions than we previously thought,” Wood shared. He also highlighted the significance of improved diets and reduced risks of predation in shaping the evolution of menopause and our life history.
The researchers emphasized the importance of tracking the behavior of older chimpanzees and observing how they interact with and influence other group members. This will shed light on the role older females play in the social dynamics of chimpanzee communities.
So, there you have it! Female chimpanzees join the menopause club, showing that this phenomenon is not limited to humans alone. It’s a reminder of the remarkable similarities we share with our primate relatives.
QUESTION If menopause occurs in a woman younger than ___ years, it is considered to be premature. – See Answer –
More information The World Wildlife Foundation has more on chimpanzee research.
Source: University of California, Los Angeles, news release, Oct. 26, 2023
Well, isn’t this bananas? Female chimpanzees get to experience menopause just like humans! Who knew? 🍌🐒
This wild discovery comes from two decades of research in Uganda’s Kibale National Park, where scientists observed a decline in fertility among female chimps after the age of 30. No more baby chimps after age 50! 🙅♀️🐵
Until now, menopause had only been seen in a few whale species and, of course, in humans. But this newfound chimpanzee menopause club gives us a closer look at why it happens and how it evolved in our species. Talk about breaking gender barriers! 💁♀️🔬
The researchers really went above and beyond for this study. They analyzed the data of 185 female chimps and collected urine samples from 66 females ranging from ages 14 to 67. That’s some serious dedication! 📊💪
Imagine being a chimp living past 50, just like humans. These sassy ladies spend about one-fifth of their adult lives post-reproduction, a little less than hunter-gatherers. So, they still have time for some fun after raising their chimp kids! 🥳
The hormone levels in the chimps’ urine samples provided strong evidence of a menopausal transition similar to that of humans. It all starts around age 50, just like a midlife crisis! 🎉😂
And here’s a fun fact: the evolution of menopause might be related to improved diets and lower risks of being someone else’s lunch. So, watch out, predators, these sassy chimp ladies are here to stay! 🥗🦁
Now, researchers want to observe how these older chimps interact with their group members. Chimp wisdom and guidance are just as valuable as human gran’s advice, after all! 🙌👵
So, let’s give some virtual applause to our primate cousins for joining the menopause party. It’s time to celebrate with a chimp-themed dance-off! 🎉🎊💃
Don’t forget to check out the World Wildlife Foundation for more fascinating chimpanzee research. They’re always up to some monkey business! 🐒🌍
And now, it’s your turn! Share your thoughts on this wild discovery. Are you surprised that chimps experience menopause too? Let us know in the comments below! 👇✨
