The ass is not a fool!
Scientists have learned about the reasons for the longevity of parrots
Olga Ivanova, Naked Science
Parrots are known for remarkable cognitive abilities and exceptionally long lives. Some of them are able to live in captivity even to a record 80-90 years (by human standards, this can be compared to several centuries). The mystery of such longevity has haunted scientists for many years.
In 2018, researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and Oregon Health and Science University (USA) A genetic analysis of a parrot belonging to the blue-fronted Amazon species was carried out and the results were compared with the DNA of 30 other bird species. They found out that in the DNA of parrots there are genes that stimulate the activity of telomerase, an enzyme that determines the number of cell divisions before it dies. This process is associated with the aging of the body: relatively speaking, if telomeres are replenished forever, the cellular structure can become immortal.
In a new study, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior (Germany), the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (the Netherlands), the universities of New Mexico (USA), Southern Denmark (Denmark), Lethbridge (Canada) and other scientific organizations approached the question of life expectancy of parrots from a different angle. They presented their findings in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B (Smeele et al., Coevolution of relative brain size and life expectancy in parrots).
The authors estimated the life expectancy of 133,818 individuals of parrots belonging to 244 species. The data was taken from the records of more than a thousand zoos. The analysis revealed an amazing variety of life expectancy of these birds. On average, from two years for a fig parrot and up to 30 years for a scarlet macaw.
It is important to understand that 30 years is a milestone that is extremely rare for birds of this size. Usually only very large bird species survive to it.
The team then wondered if the cognitive abilities of parrots affected their longevity. The researchers considered two hypotheses. They suggested that having a relatively large brain helps these birds live longer: the smarter the animal, the better it solves the problems that arise in front of it in the wild. The second idea was that a large brain grows for a long time, and this process requires a long life.
After that, the scientists tested each hypothesis using the available data and modeling. The first one turned out to be true: parrots with a big brain are better at solving problems that arise in front of them in nature, which allows them to live longer. In the future, the team intends to study whether sociality and learning ability affect the longevity of these birds.
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