CSULB Evolutionary Ecologist Comments on Why Giraffes Have Long Necks

Associate Professor Ted Stankowich is an evolutionary ecologist and director of the Mammal Lab at Cal State Long Beach. He was recently interviewed by the journal Science about a  discovery of an extinct species of giraffes with shorter and sturdier necks likely used to "joust" with other males. The find throws into question whether giraffes developed long necks for food, as Darwin suggests, or evolved to provide a sexual advantage.