What animals are used in research?

 Laboratory beagles playing

 

 

 

 

 

Most of the animals used in regulated research are rats and mice. They make up more than 8 in every 10 animals used. Many more fruit flies and worms are used, but these experiments are not regulated so are not counted.

But many other species have contributed to important medical breakthroughs, too, from armadillos to zebrafish.

See our A to Z of animals in research for a fuller description of the many different animals that are helping us to push forward medical science, and our page on Types of Animals.

 

Nine-banded armadillo

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