Outgoing Gorillas Live Longer Than Shy Ones

Outgoing Gorillas Live Longer Than Shy Ones

Extroverted gorillas in captivity outlive their shy brethren, a new study of these great apes in North American zoos and sanctuaries finds.

Using methods adapted from studying human personality, keepers, volunteers, researchers and other caretakers gauged 298 individual gorillas’ temperaments. These gorillas were followed over 18 years and their life spans recorded. The results revealed the the more sociable, active, playful and curious the gorilla, the longer it was likely to live. The results are consistent with studies finding that human extroverts outlive introverts, too, study researcher Alex Weiss of the University of Edinburgh said in a statement.