Aging deer seek solitude – scientific report

Treehugger reports an interesting note from University of Oxford titled “Deer Become Less Social as They Grow Older.”

“As people age, their social circles may grow smaller. When time is limited, you may choose to spend it with only those you really like.

The same holds true for red deer, a new study finds.1

Researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Edinburgh studied deer interactions to help understand what happens with age—even with humans. They found wild red deer become less sociable with age. Their companion network shrinks as they get older and they spend less time with others.

“Building a general understanding of how individuals change their social behavior as they age is useful for research across many different species, including humans,” study senior author Josh Firth, of the department of biology at Oxford University, tells Treehugger. …”

The conclusions of the report will resonate with older human readers!

URL: https://www.treehugger.com/deer-become-less-social-as-they-grow-older-same-6281664