Editing Menopause (section)

== Other animals ==
The majority of mammal species reach menopause when they cease the production of ovarian follicles, which contain eggs (oocytes), between one-third and two-thirds of their maximum possible lifespan.<ref>doi.org/k233</ref> However, few live long enough in the wild to reach this point. Humans are joined by a limited number of other species in which females live substantially longer than their ability to reproduce. Examples of others include [[cetaceans]]: [[beluga whales]],<ref name="ReferenceC2">{{cite journal |vauthors=Ellis S, Franks DW, Nattrass S, Currie TE, Cant MA, Giles D, Balcomb KC, Croft DP |date=August 2018 |title=Analyses of ovarian activity reveal repeated evolution of post-reproductive lifespans in toothed whales |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=12833 |bibcode=2018NatSR...812833E |doi=10.1038/s41598-018-31047-8 |pmc=6110730 |pmid=30150784}}</ref> [[narwhal]]s,<ref name="ReferenceC2" /> [[orca]]s,<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Brent LJ, Franks DW, Foster EA, Balcomb KC, Cant MA, Croft DP |date=March 2015 |title=Ecological knowledge, leadership, and the evolution of menopause in killer whales |journal=Current Biology |volume=25 |issue=6 |pages=746–750 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2015.01.037 |pmid=25754636 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2015CBio...25..746B |hdl=10871/32919 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> [[false killer whale]]s<ref name="R10">Article | Reuters - [https://www.reuters.com/science/why-did-menopause-evolve-new-study-whales-gives-some-clues-2024-03-13/ | Why did menopause evolve? New study of whales gives some clues]</ref> and [[short-finned pilot whale]]s.<ref>{{cite web |year=1986 |title=Evidence for reproductive senescence in female cetaceans. |url=http://www.helenemarsh.com/publications/JournalPapers/1986/MarshKasuyaSenescence1986.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921150757/http://www.helenemarsh.com/publications/JournalPapers/1986/MarshKasuyaSenescence1986.pdf |archive-date=21 September 2020 |access-date=9 June 2018 |work=Reports of the International Whaling Commission. |pages=57–74 |vauthors=Marsh H, Kasuya T |volume=8}}</ref>

Menopause has been reported in a variety of other vertebrate species, but these examples tend to be from captive individuals, and thus are not necessarily representative of what happens in natural populations in the wild. Menopause in captivity has been observed in several species of nonhuman [[primates]],<ref name="Walker22" /> including [[rhesus monkeys]]<ref name="Walker3">{{cite journal |vauthors=Walker ML |year=1995 |title=Menopause in female rhesus monkeys |journal=American Journal of Primatology |volume=35 |issue=1 |pages=59–71 |doi=10.1002/ajp.1350350106 |pmid=31924061 |pmc=10590078 |s2cid=83848539}}</ref> and [[Common chimpanzee|chimpanzees]].<ref name="Bowden_19842">{{cite journal |vauthors=Bowden DM, Williams DD |date=1984 |title=Aging |journal=Advances in Veterinary Science and Comparative Medicine |volume=28 |issue= |pages=305–341 |doi=10.1016/b978-0-12-039228-5.50015-2 |isbn=9780120392285 |pmid=6395674}}</ref> Some research suggests that wild chimpanzees do not experience menopause, as their fertility declines are associated with declines in overall health.<ref>{{cite journal |display-authors=6 |vauthors=Emery Thompson M, Jones JH, Pusey AE, Brewer-Marsden S, Goodall J, Marsden D, Matsuzawa T, Nishida T, Reynolds V, Sugiyama Y, Wrangham RW |date=December 2007 |title=Aging and fertility patterns in wild chimpanzees provide insights into the evolution of menopause |journal=Current Biology |volume=17 |issue=24 |pages=2150–6 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2007.11.033 |pmc=2190291 |pmid=18083515|bibcode=2007CBio...17.2150E }}</ref> Menopause has been reported in elephants in captivity<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=95MoRwdQlcYC&q=elephant+menopause&pg=PA179 |title=The Asian Elephant |vauthors=Sukumar R |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1992 |isbn=9780521437585 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512173456/https://books.google.com/books?id=95MoRwdQlcYC&pg=PA179&lpg=PA179&dq=elephant+menopause&source=bl&ots=7aojlCdgn1&sig=4WnYMngrJYA_nhcEZHjvO4oZgQs&hl=en&ei=PkZGSs3uHd-MtgegtozbAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6 |archive-date=12 May 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> and [[guppy|guppies]].<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Reznick D, Bryant M, Holmes D |date=January 2006 |title=The evolution of senescence and post-reproductive lifespan in guppies (Poecilia reticulata) |journal=PLOS Biology |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=e7 |doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0040007 |pmc=1318473 |pmid=16363919 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Dogs do not experience menopause; the [[Canine reproduction#The female reproductive cycle|canine estrus cycle]] simply becomes irregular and infrequent. Although older female dogs are not considered good candidates for breeding, offspring have been produced by older animals, see [[Canine reproduction]]. Similar observations have been made in cats.<ref>{{Cite news |date=15 May 2012 |title=How long is a cat in heat? |work=Animal Planet |url=http://www.animalplanet.com/pets/how-long-is-a-cat-in-heat/ |access-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151114211824/https://www.animalplanet.com/pets/how-long-is-a-cat-in-heat/ |archive-date=14 November 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

[[Biological life cycle|Life histories]] show a varying degree of [[senescence]]; rapid senescing organisms (e.g., [[Pacific salmon]] and [[annual plants]]) do not have a post-reproductive life-stage. Gradual senescence is exhibited by all [[placental mammal]]ian life histories.{{Original research inline|date=January 2024}}