Small animals like hamsters only live 2-3 years (as pets) while animals like crocodiles live on average for 30 to 40 years. Is it because their bodies age or get weaker slower because they have a larger surface area or something?
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In: Biology
Another factor to consider is the activity rate of the cells. Larger animal cells are slower and less active. They produce less heat and use less energy. Even their heart rate is much slower. A smaller animal is much more active. The cells produce more heat, they use more energy and their cells hence age faster. According to a study, mammals get 1 billion heartbeats per life time. So large animals with slower heart rate spread those out, and fast animals like the shrew (800-1000 beats/min) spend it up real quick.
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