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The Life Spans of Animals in the Wild Compared With in Captivity

No one knows exactly how long animals live in the wild because no complete studies have been done on individuals from birth to death. We can estimate their length of life by studying things such as growth rings from fins and scales, the condition of teeth, and other factors. We know how long some animals born in captivity live because we keep records. What we cannot know is how long animals might live under ideal conditions. Both freedom and captivity have life-limiting effects. In general, though, animals from flies to gorillas seem to live longer in captivity than in the wild.

Diet
- Animals in captivity at the present are usually fed diets that we believe are nutritionally correct and calorically appropriate. Animals in the wild have to survive on what they can find or catch. This does not mean that either group gets everything they need from their food. In both cases, elements such as trace minerals may be missing that would cause them to be healthier and live longer.
Safety
- Animals in captivity are protected from many of the dangers that kill wild animals, such as flood, fire, storm, drought, disease, accidental injury and other natural causes. Predation is a major cause of death in wild animals. Even apex predators such as sharks, wolves and the big cats are preyed upon by a competitor -- humans. Animals in captivity are protected from those dangers, but being in captivity can expose them to others, such as conflicts from overcrowding, neglect or even malicious intent, because they can't run away.
Medical Care
- Animals in captivity are usually given medical care. They are immunized against disease. If they get sick or are injured, they get treatment. Animals in the wild lick their wounds and survive if they can.
Stress
- Animals in the wild may be stressed by environmental factors, but animals in captivity face many kinds of stress that animals in the wild do not. They are confined and may suffer from lack of exercise. They can also suffer emotional and psychological stress. Group-living animals may be isolated, or solitary animals may be forced to share space unnaturally with their own kind. They may be prevented from breeding or made to reproduce through artificial insemination. They may never learn the normal behaviors of animals in the wild. Just the simple fact that they are in captivity can be an intolerable stress, and the animal may die of it.
Exceptions
- Two notable exceptions to this general rule documented to date are the elephant and the dolphin. According to an article in "National Geographic," "Wild elephants in protected areas of Africa and Asia live more than twice as long as those in European zoos." It noted, "Obesity and stress are likely factors for the giant land mammals' early demise in captivity." The Oceanic Preservation Society says that wild dolphins live 40 to 50 years, while a captive-bred dolphin's average lifespan is 4 years.

Animals & Science