Overview

• The Science Advances paper analyzes records for 528 mammal and 648 bird species using Species360 zoo data alongside wild populations.
• In mammals, females live about 12–13% longer on average, whereas in many birds males live roughly 5% longer.
• The lifespan gap persists in zoos, indicating strong biological drivers beyond predation, infection, or resource scarcity.
• Researchers highlight sexual selection and parental investment as key factors, with greater caregiving correlating with longer average lifespan for that sex.
• Experts note parallels in humans, as women outlive men in nearly every country and behavior changes such as preventive care and risk reduction could narrow the gap.