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Can other animals understand death? - Barbara J. King

TED-Ed・4 minutes read

Tahlequah, an orca, displayed unusual behavior by mourning for her deceased calf, sparking debates on whether animals grieve. Examples like Koko the gorilla and elephants also suggest that mammals and birds may experience grief, emphasizing the importance of studying and respecting non-human animals' emotional experiences.

Insights

  • Animals, including mammals and birds, exhibit behaviors that strongly suggest they experience grief, such as staying by a deceased member's side or showing signs of distress after a loss, prompting a need for further research to understand and acknowledge their emotional experiences.
  • Scientific studies reveal that animals like baboons undergo physiological changes, such as increased stress hormone levels, after losing a close relative, leading to altered behaviors like heightened grooming to reinforce social bonds, underscoring the intricate nature of animal grief responses and the necessity for deeper exploration in this field.

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Recent questions

  • Do animals experience grief?

    Yes

  • Can animals mourn like humans?

    Possibly

  • How do animals show grief?

    Through behaviors

  • Are animals capable of mourning?

    Yes

  • Do animals feel emotions like grief?

    Yes

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Summary

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Animal Grief: Understanding Non-Human Emotions

  • In 2018, an orca named Tahlequah gave birth, but her daughter died shortly after. Tahlequah spent 17 days and traveled 1,600 kilometers, keeping her deceased calf afloat and retrieving it whenever it slipped away, showcasing unusual behavior that raised questions about mourning in non-human animals.
  • The debate on whether animals grieve has a long history, with Charles Darwin suggesting in 1871 that animals experience emotions like grief. More recent observations, such as Koko the gorilla showing signs of distress after her kitten companion's death, and elephants displaying behaviors like staying by a deceased member's side, suggest that mammals and birds may indeed experience grief.
  • Scientific studies have shown that animals like baboons exhibit increased stress hormone levels after losing a close relative, leading to changes in behavior like increased grooming to strengthen social bonds. The complexity of animal grief behaviors highlights the need for further research to better understand and respect the emotional experiences of non-human animals.
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