Bereaved behaviour: Animals that mourn their loved ones
Historically, science has radically underestimated animal intelligence and emotions. Just a few decades ago we considered animals to have vastly different brains to our own, lacking moment-to-moment consciousness, emotions and foresight, but modern science has shown this is simply not the case. In 2012 leading scientists published the ‘Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness in Non-Human Animals’, … Continued
Multiple alligators killed after boy's death in Orlando Disney resort
Five alligators were captured and killed in the immediate aftermath of a tragic death involving a two-year-old boy at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, it has been revealed. According to reports, at around 9pm on Tuesday evening, the boy—who has been named as Lane Graves—waded into about a foot of water at the edge … Continued
Photo reveals dark side of kangaroo sex
Though many were quick to assume an eastern grey male kangaroo and accompanying joey were in mourning, photographed clinging to his mate long after her death, the more likely truth is he was still keen to mate. Last week while on a morning stroll in the brush, Australian Evan Switzer spotted a rather unusual sight—a … Continued
Scientists struggle to explain the mystery of mass starling drownings
Wild birds rarely die from drowning, and when they do, it’s usually an isolated incident. Yet, over the years, there have been several mysterious accounts of groups of common starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) found floating in garden ponds in apparent mass drownings. Researchers from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) set out to shed some light … Continued
337 whales have died in the largest mass-stranding known to science
During of a routine aerial research mission last summer, scientists flying over a remote fjord in Chilean Patagonia spotted something below that was not only entirely unexpected, it was also truly shocking: 337 dead whales. They were witnessing the grizzly and decaying aftermath of the biggest whale stranding event ever observed. What’s even more alarming is that—as … Continued
The mysterious secret of ‘crow funerals’ finally revealed
New research has shed light on the mystery of ‘crow funerals’ in which crows gather in large numbers to seemingly mourn their dead; it appears that the birds are learning about danger from the fate of their less fortunate brethren. Crows are one of just a handful of species, along with African elephants, bottlenose dolphins … Continued