Better together? Major mammal study finds social creatures live longer than loners
- Even tiny mammals that live in groups, such as bats and mole rats, can live for decades compared with similar sized animals that live alone, according to paper
- Researchers lay out theories for correlation, such as being protected from predation and starvation as well as having strong and stable social bonds
Mammals living in groups live longer than solitary animals, according to a new analysis of nearly 1,000 species.
The team from China and Australia published their findings in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications on Wednesday.
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The maximum lifespan for mammals ranges from two years, such as for shrews, to longer than 200 years in bowhead whales.
In the new study, the researchers looked into 974 species of mammal and compared their longevity with their social organisation – whether they live in groups, in pairs or alone.
They found that group-living species tended to live longer than those living alone, supporting the correlated evolution of a species’ social structure and its lifespan.
The longevity record of western gorillas, which live in troops of around five members, is held by a 60-year-old born in captivity. Asian elephants can live up to almost 80 years while their African counterparts live up to 65 years of age.
There are also tiny, group-living animals that have long lives.