A growing body of research is pointing to the critical, but unappreciated, role that older animals play in ensuring the survival of wildlife populations. Conservationists say the new findings should lead to policies that protect these elders and the essential knowledge they impart.

In 2024, a paper in Science led by Kopf introduced the term “longevity conservation,” giving name to a simple idea: protecting wildlife means maintaining the full age structure of populations, including their oldest members. The concept quickly moved beyond theory. Last year, the International Union for Conservation of Nature adopted a resolution on the issue, formally recognizing the importance of protecting older individuals and elevating the concept into conservation policy. And at the recent United Nations Convention on Migratory Species meeting in Brazil, protecting “old and wise” animals was a major talking point.