News Animals

Having more friends may help female giraffes live longer

Being more gregarious might mean added support and less stress

giraffes eating together

More gregarious female giraffes tend to live longer than those seen in sparse company, a study from Tanzania's Tarangire region shows.

Derek Lee

By Susan Milius

- More than 2 years ago

Grown-up giraffes just aren’t huggy, cuddling, demonstrative animals. So it took identity-recognition software grinding through five years of data to reveal that female social life matters to survival.