Giraffe Math Study: Research Suggests Giraffes Can Perform Simple Addition
A new giraffe math study suggests that giraffes can perform a basic form of mental addition. Researchers found that the animals could remember hidden amounts of food, mentally combine them, and choose the container with the larger total. However, they struggled when food was removed or transferred between containers. Therefore, scientists believe giraffes can handle simple addition but do not yet understand formal mathematics.
Researchers test hidden food challenges
Scientists from the University of Barcelona, the University of Leipzig, and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology carried out the research. The study appeared in Scientific Reports on June 26, 2026. Four giraffes living at Barcelona Zoo took part in the experiments. The group included Nakuru, Njano, Nuru, and Yalinga.
Researchers used carrot pieces because the giraffes strongly preferred them. Participation remained voluntary, and each animal could leave the experiment at any time. During the tests, researchers placed different numbers of carrot pieces into two yellow containers before covering them. Next, they added one to three more carrot pieces to one hidden container while the giraffes watched. Although the animals could not see the final totals, they selected one container by touching it with their muzzle or tongue. A correct choice rewarded them with the larger amount of food.
The giraffes chose the larger quantity in 68 percent of the addition trials. Moreover, all four animals performed better than random guessing. They successfully tracked additions of up to three carrot pieces and remembered totals of as many as five items.
Findings reveal limits of numerical ability
The researchers also tested subtraction and food transfers between hidden containers. However, the giraffes scored only 57 percent in subtraction tasks and 64 percent when food moved between containers. These results did not rise above chance.
Scientists also ruled out simple explanations for the animals’ choices. Two giraffes may have followed the experimenter’s movements, while the other two still chose correctly when that strategy failed. As a result, researchers believe at least some giraffes relied on mental representations rather than simple visual cues.
The giraffe math study adds to growing evidence that giraffes possess impressive cognitive skills. Researchers say these abilities may help them find food, assess danger, or monitor social groups in the wild. Nevertheless, they caution that larger studies are needed before concluding that giraffes possess advanced mathematical abilities.
