Rats free each other from traps, then share chocolate

Jason

Just read this extremely interesting article from New Scientist:

Rats free each other from traps, then share chocolate

Essentially, more evidence that rats (and potentially other animals, particularly mammals) exhibit levels of compassion, empathy, and generosity previously thought to be unique to primates; as well as further corroboration of Kropotkin's theory that cooperation and mutual aid are factors of evolution at least as important as competition, if not more so.

Jeffrey

very interesting

Telly03

Reminds me of this story

Jason

Also, this one.

person

Loved the dog story.

theotherlara

It's sad this is big news to some people...the idea that animals, (anything outside of human), think and feel.

I've worked and lived around animals my whole life and have never had any doubts they feel and think very much like humans...and have always respected them in a way that demonstrates that understanding. We all think and speak differently, only humans think we're superior because of a mutual species understanding.

Thanks for sharing the stories

LeonBasin

Thank you for sharing! Wonderful stuff:)

AMH

I had pet rats, hey! They never shared chocolate with me

federica

That's because you probably never shared it with them. They're brighter than they look, you know.....:D
There is the tale related by Lama Surya Das of the rat saving a fellow rat - who was blind - from a burning building, by leading him out to safety, using a length of straw. The rescuer had one end in his mouth, the other end was being held between the teeth of the blind rat.
He saved his life.
Nobody can ever convince me that Compassion is a quality solely confined to the human being.

Lincoln

@Jason I would free you from a trap but I'm on the fence about sharing chocolate. Maybe.

federica

well given that he ate all your cookies, that's natural......