Animal Emotions

Our relationships with animals are frustrating, challenging, paradoxical and range all over the place. We love animals and harm them in a myriad of ways and many people wonder not only why we continue to do this but also what we can do to give animals the respect, compassion, and love they deserve. A relatively new and rapidly emerging field called conservation psychology can help us improve our relationships with other animals. Conservation psychology is defined as "the scientific study of the reciprocal relationships between humans and the rest of nature, with a particular focus on how to encourage conservation of the natural world. … This applied field uses psychological principles, theories, or methods to understand and solve issues related to human aspects of conservation." Read More

Many animals have rich and deep emotional lives. A few years ago I was lucky enough to observe a funeral ritual by a female red fox. Others have also seen similar events. In 1947 a naturalist on the East Coast saw a male fox lick his mate as she lay dead, and the male also protected his mate quite vigorously. Perhaps he too was showing respect for a dead friend.  Much happens in the complex lives of our animal kin to which we're not privy, but when we're fortunate to see animals at work, how splendid it is. Read More

Did David Graybeard, the chimpanzee who was first observed to use a tool by Jane Goodall, have any idea of who he was? Do elephants, dolphins, cats, magpies, mice, salmon, ants or bees know who they are? Was Jethro, my late companion dog, a self-conscious being? Do any of these animals have a sense of self? What do these animals make of themselves when they look in a mirror, see their reflection in water, hear their own or another's song or howl, or smell themselves and others? Is it possible that self-awareness  "Wow that's me!" is a uniquely human trait ? After decades of studying animals ranging from coyotes, gray wolves, domestic dogs, and Adelie penguins and other birds, I've come to the conclusion that not only are some animals self-aware, but also that there are degrees of self-awareness Read More

Children are inherently and intuitively curious naturalists. They're
sponges for knowledge, absorbing, retaining and using new information at
astounding rates. We all know this, but often we forget when we're helping
to develop their roles as future ambassadors with other animals, nature
and ourselves. Some are also future leaders on whose spirit and good will
many of us will depend. They will be other animals' and our voices,
indeed, voices of the universe. So, it makes good sense to teach children
well, to be role models, to infuse their education with kindness and
compassion so that their decisions are founded on a deeply rooted,
automatic reflex-like caring ethic. If we don't, they, we, other animals,
human communities and environments will suffer.  Read More