Reproduction is defined as a biological process where an organism produces offspring similar to itself. This ensures the continuity of life from one generation to the next as no individual organism is immortal. Reproduction is essential to maintain the continuity of species over time as each organism has a finite lifespan, even though lifespans vary widely between species from as little as 15 years in crows to over 140 years in parrots. Unicellular organisms do not experience natural death but instead reproduce through cell division to produce similar daughter cells.