Dataset-backed profiles
Core measurements are kept with their source and dataset context.
Animal Life-History Database
Explore Animal
Life-History Traits
Compare maximum longevity, reproduction, maturity, adult body mass, and offspring traits across thousands of animal species.
◫ Evidence-based data
◈ 22,699 species records
◌ Comparable life-history traits
Interactive tool
Animal Life Explorer
Choose species and compare one life-history dimension at a time.
2
Choose a traitCompare one life-history dimension at a time.
Evidence & method
Why trust our data?
Standardized trait display
Shared units and definitions make cross-species comparisons readable.
Missing means missing
Unavailable measurements are not replaced with invented values.
Clear species references
Species imagery is used where a profile has a clear featured image.
Trait values are displayed only when they are present in the underlying data. Missing values remain unavailable rather than being filled with estimates. Read the full methodology →
Species Profiles
Detailed profiles with key traits, evidence, and natural-history context.
→Compare Animals
Place up to four species side by side across the same trait.
→Maximum Longevity
Compare the longest recorded lifespans in the dataset.
→Life-History Timelines
Follow the pace from birth or hatching to reproductive maturity.
→Browse by Class
Move through the database by major taxonomic groups.
→Taxonomy
Browse by animal group
M
Mammals
Warm-blooded vertebrates with hair or fur.
76 species profiles
B
Birds
Feathered vertebrates with beaks and wings.
29 species profiles
R
Reptiles
Scaled vertebrates with diverse reproductive strategies.
20 species profiles
A
Amphibians
Vertebrates whose life cycles often bridge water and land.
2 species profilesF
Ray-finned fish
The largest living class of bony fishes.
No profiles available yet
I
Insects
Invertebrates with six legs and highly varied life histories.
1 species profileSpecies spotlight
Featured species
African bush elephant
Loxodonta africana
- Max longevity
- 65 years
- Gestation
- 22 months
- Female maturity
- 11.6 years
- Adult body mass
- 4.5 t
Blue whale
Balaenoptera musculus
- Max longevity
- 110 years
- Gestation
- 10.7 months
- Maturity (sex not reported)
- 5 years
- Adult body mass
- 149 t
Lion
Panthera leo
- Max longevity
- 28 years
- Gestation
- 3.6 months
- Female maturity
- 3 years
- Adult body mass
- 149.1 kg
Tiger
Panthera tigris
- Max longevity
- 26.3 years
- Gestation
- 3.5 months
- Female maturity
- 3.5 years
- Adult body mass
- 128.8 kg
Giraffe
Giraffa camelopardalis
- Max longevity
- 39.5 years
- Gestation
- 15 months
- Female maturity
- 3.8 years
- Adult body mass
- 800 kg
Polar bear
Ursus maritimus
- Max longevity
- 43.8 years
- Gestation
- 4.8 months
- Female maturity
- 4.7 years
- Adult body mass
- 371.7 kg
Comparable fields
Data at a glance
Maximum longevityLongest recorded life
Kept separate from typical or average lifespan.
Gestation / incubationPrenatal development
Pregnancy and egg incubation remain distinct fields.
Age at maturityReproductive timing
Female, male, or unsexed maturity is preserved when available.
Adult body massComparable mass
Stored in grams and displayed in human-readable units.
Litter / clutch sizeOffspring per event
A shared field for live-bearing and egg-laying species.