Lifespan, longevity, and ageing
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Maximum longevity: 28.3 years (captivity)
Observations: These bizarre underground animals from the Horn of Africa live in cooperative colonies, a protected and thermally buffered environment. Their body temperature is relatively low and they appear to be cold-intolerant. They are one of the longest lived rodents with a record longevity of 28.3 years in captivity. Cancer has not been reported in these animals (Buffenstein 2005). In the wild, breeders have been known to live up to 17 years but non-breeders do not commonly live more than 2 or 3 years (Stan Braude, pers. comm.).
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- cc-by-3.0
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- Joao Pedro de Magalhaes
- editor
- de Magalhaes, J. P.
