researchers examined the status and health of spotted hyenas in mammals . They found high - ranking members of groups live longer and are healthier . These alpha males were also found to have more hair . Discovery was made by measuring the lengths of telomeres . These caps at the end of each strand of DNA are regarded as important signs of ageing and stress in many species , including humans . High - ranking females had longer telomeres than their males .
Researchers studied the status and health of spotted hyenas in Kenya . They found high-ranking members of groups live longer and are healthier . These alpha females were also found to have more offspring . Discovery was made by analysing the lengths of telomeres . These caps at the end of each strand of DNA are regarded as important signs of ageing and stress in many species , including humans . High-ranking hyenas had longer telomeres than their peers .