Recent studies indicate that humans are not the only species experiencing changes in social behavior as they age. Research on animals such as deer and birds reveals a decline in interest in social connections over time.
Social relationships evolve throughout life, becoming less significant in older individuals. This phenomenon has been highlighted in a special issue of the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, which published sixteen studies on aging and social relationships in animal populations.
These studies demonstrate that, similar to humans, animals tend to become less sociable as they grow older. For instance, researchers found that female roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) become increasingly less social with age, while another study showed that house sparrows change their social behavior as they mature. This trend has also been observed in insects.
The question of 'why' this occurs has intrigued many researchers. In deer, for example, social distancing may serve as a protective measure against parasitic diseases. This suggests that such behavior can have advantages, as isolation is often viewed as detrimental in aging populations.
Professor Amanda Bretman, head of the research group on Drosophila (fruit flies), explains, 'In humans, a poor social environment can have the same impact on healthy aging as smoking or obesity.' She adds that while this phenomenon is recognized in complex social animals like chimpanzees and bees, her team systematically analyzed evidence showing that even insects, which are not typically considered to have complex social lives, are affected by their social environments in terms of lifespan and aging.
Dr. Josh Firth from the University of Leeds, editor of this scientific dossier, states, 'While it is certainly beneficial to mitigate the obvious disadvantages that arise when people reduce social ties as they age, we should also consider the potential benefits.'