Mole rats stay fertile all their lives

 

Image courtesy of UPM. 

Joel Kontinen

Unknown to science, female naked mole rats develop new eggs throughout their entire lives,  Native to East Africa, naked mole rats (Heterocephalus glaber) live for up to 37 years and form underground colonies with social structures similar to those of bees.

As a  contrast, mice only live approximately four months after their fertility drops. They are then 9 months old.

Unlike other creatures, these tiny rodents hardly age at all. While they will eventually die, they can live well over 30 years in captivity, which is a huge age for rats.

This reminds us of the diversity seen in the animal kingdom.

They remind us of the longevity of the early humans mentioned in Genesis after the Fall. 

 Source:

 Lesté-Lasserre,  Christa, 2023  Naked mole rats reveal biological secrets of lifelong fertility, New Scientist 21 February.