Thanks to us humans, many of the oldest animals, often larger and more experienced on Earth, are being removed from ecosystems, say international experts.
Poaching, trophy hunting, culling, and harvesting have often targeted the largest animals in a group, because they possess the largest horns, antlers, or tusks, which, together with the pressures of habitat loss, disease and extreme climatic events, can lead to the loss of large and old animals.
From sponges and sharks to elephants and lions, there is a wide range of species in which the oldest animals are overexploited, but the authors say that this depletion of older animals remains an underappreciated issue in the management of natural resources.
The authors appeal for specific policy directives, political will, and careful management to preserve these older animals.
