Two emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri)
New research has found that penguins in zoos age faster than penguins in the wild, but they still live longer.
Os penguins kept in captivity may age faster than their wild counterparts, despite being longer-lived, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Communications. Research suggests that the “comfortable” lifestyle of these animals can offer relevant clues about the impact of modern habits on human health.
The work, led by scientists at the University of Helsinki, analyzed 64 king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus), comparing wild individuals from Possession Island, in the Southern Ocean, with penguins bred in captivity in European zoos. The researchers resorted to epigenetic analyzes — namely measuring DNA methylation — to determine the so-called “biological age” of animals, which can differ from their chronological age.
The results indicate that zoo penguins have a acceleration of biological aging. According to co-author Céline Le Bohec, a 15-year-old penguin in captivity may have an organism equivalent to that of a 20-year-old penguin in the wild. Still, data shows that animals in captivity live, on average, longer: around 21 years, compared to 13.5 years recorded in nature.
Scientists point to several explanations for this phenomenon. In zoos, penguins are protected from predatorsextreme weather conditions and long journeys in search of food. They have constant access to food and veterinary care, but they also have reduced levels of physical activity and altered sleep patterns and circadian rhythms, says .
These conditions can affect cellular balance and accelerate processes associated with aging. Furthermore, factors such as lower environmental diversity and changes in the microbiome can influence genetic expression, affecting functions linked to metabolism, growth and cardiovascular health.
In the wild, king penguins face periods of prolonged fasting and can go up to eight weeks without eatingand travel great distances in search of food, which requires high physical capacity. This difference in lifestyle is comparable, according to the researchers, to the transition observed in modern human societies, marked by greater sedentary lifestyle and food abundance.
The authors argue that the study offers a useful analogy for understanding the effects of the Western lifestyle on health. As a result, experiments are already underway to encourage greater physical activity and dietary control in zoo penguins, in an attempt to mitigate the effects of accelerated aging.
