"Critics have argued that those who see emotions in animals are guilty of anthropomorphism - the attribution of human characteristics to animals.
But Dr Bekoff said emotions evolved in humans and animals because they improve the chances of survival.
'It's bad biology to argue against the existence of animal emotions.' he said."
From Magpies grieve for their dead.
“A crow snowboards with a home-made board: this remarkable video shows an incredible degree of animal intelligence. The crow keeps trying with its tool, and does it repeatedly, for nothing else but the fun of it.”
via Pantheism on Facebook

(via mydarling)
Six little pigs have found a new friend in a maternal French bulldog named Baby. The Lehnitz animal sanctuary outside Berlin says Baby took straight to the wild boar piglets when they were brought in Saturday, three days old and shivering from cold. Sanctuary worker Norbert Damm said as soon as the furry striped piglets were brought in, Baby ran over and started snuggling them and keeping them warm, even though they’re already about her size. He says the piglets’ mother was likely killed by a hunter and the litter was found abandoned in a forest. The piglets are being bottlefed right now and should be released to an animal sanctuary when they can feed themselves in about three months.Picture: Michael Sohn/AP (via Pictures of the day: 16 February 2012 - Telegraph)
(via japexican)
Pigeons recognize human faces, despite change of clothes
Untrained pigeons can recognize individual people’s faces and are not fooled by a change of clothes.they can also recognize themselves and other pigeons. one of the only animals to pass the self-recognition test that isn’t a mammal.
An Australian tour guide has switched over to a fish-free bait pioneering a new form of attractant for great white sharks, heavy metal music.
The tour guide has been taking people out on his boat for years to see and appreciate great whites in their natural habitat off the coast of…
Never run from bears, and always discourage them with bear spray, portable electric fencing and bear-resistant food containers, Mr. Morgan said. He stressed, though, that “any two bears you meet are as different as any two people you meet. Not every person you come across is a calm poet, not every person is a nasty mugger. Bears, because of their intelligence, develop individual personalities.”
Nice to see this acknowledged. Full article here.
“You’re joking, right?” (Baby ring tailed lemur)
A new study shows that when ravens squabble, they totally make up afterwords if they are pals. If two ravens get in a fight, they can be seen paying extra attention to each other later: “Monitoring a group of seven captive ravens (Corvus corax), Orlaith Fraser of the University of Vienna…
(via veganismandstuff)
Guide Goose of the Day: Renata Kursa, a villager from Poland, says she was heartbroken after her dog Baks lost his sight in a recent accident.
But her four-year-old goose Buttons was more than happy to lend her eyes to Baks, leading him with her neck, or directing him with her honks.
“[G]radually Buttons got him up on his feet and starting walking him around,” says Kursa. “They’re inseparable now - they even chase the postman together.”
[metro.]
:’(( SO SWEET!!! <3
(via Animal sanctuary wombat diagnosed with depression caused by lack of cuddles | Mail Online)
DEPRESSION CAUSED BY LACK OF CUDDLES.
GIVE IT ALL THE CUDDLES. GIVE IT ALL THE CUDDLES.
DEPRESSION CAUSED BY LACK OF CUDDLES.
COME HERE WOMBAT I WILL GIVE YOU ALL MY CUDDLES
(via bummmercamp)