What crows can teach us about death | Dr. Kaeli Swift | TEDxSalem
TEDx Talks・2 minutes read
Humans have been contemplating death for a long time, and animals, especially corvids, also exhibit behaviors towards their dead, leading to scientific interest in comparative thanatology. Different groups of animals show varying responses to death, with crows displaying both predictable and complex behaviors towards their deceased, including associating specific individuals and locations with dead crows.
Insights
- Humans have been contemplating death for a long time, with the first intentional human burial occurring around a hundred thousand years ago, highlighting the deep-rooted nature of our fascination with mortality.
- Animals, including corvids, exhibit diverse behaviors towards their dead, with some showing predictable responses while others display more complex and variable behaviors, showcasing the wide range of reactions to death in the animal kingdom.
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Recent questions
How long have humans been contemplating death?
Around a hundred thousand years
What animals exhibit behaviors towards their dead?
Corvids (crows, ravens, magpies, jays)
What are the two main groups of animals in thanatology?
One with predictable behaviors, another with variable behaviors
What did a study with crows in Seattle reveal?
Crows could associate people with handling dead crows
What unusual behaviors have been observed in animals towards their dead?
Aggression, sexual arousal, necrophilic interactions
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Summary
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Animal Responses to Death: A Comparative Study
- Humans have been contemplating death for a long time, with the first intentional human burial occurring around a hundred thousand years ago.
- Animals, like corvids (crows, ravens, magpies, jays), also exhibit behaviors towards their dead, inspiring scientific interest in comparative thanatology.
- Two main groups of animals in this field: one with predictable behaviors towards their dead (social insects, colony-living mammals) and another with more variable behaviors (elephants, primates, dolphins).
- Crows, like insects and primates, show special attention to their dead, displaying both predictable and more complex behaviors.
- A study conducted with crows in Seattle revealed that they could associate people with handling dead crows, leading to altered behavior towards them.
- Crows also learned to associate specific places with dead crows, affecting their behavior in those locations.
- Further experiments showed that crows' responses to dead crows could involve unusual behaviors like aggression, sexual arousal, and even necrophilic interactions, but these were not common occurrences.
- Similar behaviors, including aggression and sexual arousal, have been observed in a variety of animals, indicating a broader spectrum of responses to death beyond grooming and guarding.
