Female birds age more slowly and live longer when they have help raising their offspring, according to new research from the University of East Anglia.
Researchers studied the relationship between ageing and offspring rearing patterns in the Seychelles warbler, and found that females who had assistance from other female helpers benefitted from a longer, healthier lifespan.
The findings help explain why social species, such as humans, which live in groups and cooperate to raise offspring, often have longer lifespans.
The study was led by researchers at UEA and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, in collaboration with the University of Leeds, the University of Sheffield, Wageningen University, and with Nature Seychelles.
Read more at University of East Anglia
Image: Research shows that female birds age more slowly and live longer when they have help raising their offspring. (Credit: Janske Van De Crommenacker)