Though youth is supposedly the time of life to take foolish risks, it in fact makes more sense to save such things for old age. Young animals should be cautious, to stay alive long enough to reproduce. Old ones should be willing to gamble with their lives since there is not much time left anyway. Although this theory of age and risk makes sense (the risks young animals take are mostly connected with attracting and retaining mates, and are thus worthwhile), proof has been elusive. It requires following a population over the course of several generations. But a study of appropriate proportions has now been done, and it suggests that in one species at least, old age does indeed increase risk-taking.
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