New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Humans are notoriously self-centred as a species. We like to think we are on a different plane from all other species in the animal kingdom, especially with things like modern technology significantly enhancing the possibilities of the homo sapiens’ world. But here’s the thing: are we really that much different from dogs, elephants, dolphins and even traditionally "dumb" animals like pheasants or insects? Close-minded people will instantly reject this notion, but it’s certainly not so simple.
Ask any pet owner, farmer or zoo keeper, and they’ll tell you, without a moment’s hesitation, that the animals they look after are far more similar to humans than you’d think. Animals have been scientifically proved to feel complex emotions, and many species rely heavily on social interaction. Studies have also shown a surprisingly high level of cognitive function and genuine satisfaction when completing tasks. Stay with us for an adventure through five weird ways animals are more like us than you’d think.
Emotions
People have often reduced animals to the idea of organic robots, unable to feel emotions such as sadness, happiness, stress and jealousy. While not all species may experience the same levels of emotion as humans do, arguing that they cannot feel anything at all is entirely reductionist and incorrect. From your pet dog’s jealousy when a newborn child gets more affection to a chimpanzee’s comfort during a grooming session, there are countless examples of genuine emotion in the animal world.
It can be easy to forget this, primarily because humans are unable to verbally communicate with animals in the same way as they do between themselves. Scientific studies recently proved what many pet owners and animal lovers already knew with complete certainty: other species, right down to the smallest creatures, "feel" things,.
Cognitive function
We’ve always known how cognitively advanced dogs and other animals are, but in recent years, an increasing number of species have been taught complex tasks. Rats and mice are routinely trained to complete elaborate logical puzzles, which suggests their basic cognition is very similar to our own.
Understanding logic, probability and the concept of chance is fundamental to popular human practices like casino games. Online gambling platforms such as Betway host options like online slots or video roulette, two prime examples of the human love for cognitive games. Studies have increasingly shown that animals participate in their own games of chance in nature. Furthermore, it wouldn’t be out of the question to teach animals to play straightforward games like roulette, proving animals’ surprising level of cognitive function.
Social interaction
Humans are social creatures, but so are countless other species. Animals such as wolves, dogs and elephants are famously social, living in groups and assisting one another in various aspects of life. This is, perhaps, one of the main ways in which animals are closer to humans than we might think.
Not only do other species in the animal kingdom have deep social connections but they also have genuine friends and rivals. Experts have known this for centuries, but recent programs like David Attenborough’s Planet Earth displayed the animal kingdom’s significant social connections for millions to see.
Satisfaction of completing tasks
It’s not just humans that gain pride and satisfaction from completing tasks. Animals do too. Shepherd dogs such as border collies are prime examples. They take evident satisfaction in guiding their flock, craving the experience in instances where they don’t live on a farm or with a household that caters to these primal desires.
Dogs are also used for countless other tasks, such as sniffing out weapons, saving earthquake survivors from the rubble or sniffing out truffles. Part of the satisfaction comes from earning a treat, but a significant portion arises simply from the pride of completing a task. Other funny examples include animals at London Zoo getting weighed. Trainers can recognize the accomplishment in animals that manage to keep still for long enough, proving they’re much more similar to humans in this respect than you’d think.
A sense of humour
Whether animals can feel emotion has long been a central talking point. One of the main examples of why this is the case is humour. It might sound strange, but species across the animal kingdom are well-known jokers.
This is mainly between themselves, playing games like peek-a-boo or making other animals jump, but they sometimes do this with humans too. The video of an elephant stealing a safari-goer’s hat and hiding it before giving it back is a funny example.
