Multilevel social organization and space use in reticulated giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)

Abstract

Lay summary:Association patterns in giraffe are highly influenced by space use, but social relationships are embedded within a structured social network. We show that individual giraffe are members of social cliques. Multiple cliques in turn make up a community of individuals that interact more frequently with each other than with individuals from different communities. Such social divisions have never before been quantified in giraffe and indicate that giraffe may have more complex social organization than previously thought.