Various biological attributes associated with individual fitness in animals change predictably
over the lifespan of an organism. Therefore, the study of animal ecology and the work of …

The prediction that telomere length (TL) shortens with increasing age is a major element in
considering the role of telomeres as a key player in evolution. While telomere attrition is …

Research on the physiological causes of senescence aim to identify common physiological
mechanisms that explain age-related declines in fitness across taxonomic groups …

Age‐related telomere shortening is considered a hallmark of the ageing process. However,
a recent cross‐sectional ageing study of relative telomere length (rTL) in bats failed to detect …

The age profile of populations fundamentally affects their conservation status. Yet, age is
frequently difficult to assess in wild animals. Here, we assessed the use of DNA methylation …

This paper presents a critical review of methods for estimating absolute or relative age in
marine mammals. Absolute age is achieved by counting growth layer groups (GLGs) in hard …

The ability to estimate age and determine the growth status of free-ranging dugongs
(Dugong dugon) is vital to providing insight into the basic biology of this endangered …

Health and survival are key goals for selective breeding in farm animals. Progress, however,
is often limited by the low heritability of these animal fitness traits in addition to measurement …

Recovery rates for baleen whales that were decimated by exploitation vary between species
and populations. Age determination is critical for the understanding of recovery trends and …

Marine mammals vary greatly in size and lifespan across species. This study determined
whether measures of adult body weight, length and relative telomere length were related to …