When it comes to animal feelings, we tend to think of them exactly as we humans are or on the other end of the spectrum as unthinking, unfeeling beasts put here for our enjoyment. Every animal is unique in its own way and thinks a little bit differently, but what is clear is that many animals are able to feel complete emotions. According to an article in Psychology Today:
“Grief itself is something of a mystery, for there doesn’t seem to be any obvious adaptive value to it in an evolutionary sense. It does not appear to increase an individual’s reproductive success. Whatever its value is, grief is the price of commitment, that wellspring of both happiness and sorrow.”
1. Dolphins.
2. Dogs.
3. Gorillas.
4. Elephants.
5. Geese.
6. Cats.
7. Penguins.
8. Chimpanzees.
“Her presence, and loss, was palpable, and resonated throughout the group. The management at Sanaga-Yong opted to let Dorothy’s chimpanzee family witness her burial, so that perhaps they would understand, in their own capacity, that Dorothy would not return. Some chimps displayed aggression while others barked in frustration, but perhaps the most stunning reaction was a recurring, almost tangible silence. If one knows chimpanzees, then one knows that [they] are not [usually] silent creatures.”
