Psychology
Do Animals Feel Sad When They Lose Someone?
Gorilla Named Koko, as an Example
I am sure you have heard or maybe even said, “Are you an animal?”. I am sorry if this phrase hurts your ears anyhow. However, I was wondering why we always use animals to imply that someone does not feel. I mean, are we sure that animals do not feel, or is it just an expectation due to our ignorance of how animals feel? What I want here is to really discuss whether animals feel or not. In other words, if an animal loses a relative or friend, will it feel as sad as humans do?
Let’s take an example of a gorilla named Koko. Koko was not just any gorilla; she was special because she knew some signs in American Sign Language that are used by people who cannot hear or speak. Koko had a pet kitten whom she loved very much. When her baby kitten died, Koko exhibited signs of sadness. She made sounds that conveyed anger and later on signed words such as “cry,” “sad,” and “frown” after seeing someone holding a photo of another kitten. This showed that what Koko felt was similar to sadness. Please check the video on YouTube:
