For centuries, animals have been observed expressing apparent sorrow at the passing of a group-mate. Many have been our closest cousins, the monkeys and apes, but grief-like behaviours have also been reported in whales, elephants and even magpies.
- “She carried her dead baby for 4 days" - do animals need to stare death in the face for closure?
- "The entire family of a deceased matriarch surrounded her corpse, gently touching her with their trunks, as if trying to lift her" – Do animals understand death...?
ALBATROSSES
Laysan albatrosses form lifelong, monogamous pair bonds that are cemented with elaborate courtship dances. When one member of the partnership dies, the surviving bird will wait one to two years before even starting to look for a new mate, going through what has been described as a mourning period.
GIRAFFES
In 2011, scientists observed a lone Thornicroft’s giraffe mother standing guard over her dead infant. This is a decidedly unusual behaviour for giraffes, as they rarely remain stationary for long, and females in particular spend almost all their time with others.
The mother stayed still, alone, and not eating for two hours before finally moving on. Similar behaviour towards dead infants has been reported in other giraffe species, though not towards unrelated dead giraffes.
DOLPHINS
In 2012, a tour boat operator filmed an adult Risso’s dolphin carrying a dead and badly decayed calf on its back. The adult repeatedly swam away from and then back to the corpse, touching it and swimming in circles underneath it. The dolphin then pushed the calf away from them watching boat and out to sea.
There have been numerous other reports of dolphins touching, carrying and staying close to dead calves, even when at advanced stages of decomposition.
DINGOES
In 2008, a mother dingo was observed after the death of one of her five pups. The remaining littermates seemed to sense a change in the pup as it was dead and dying, treating their sibling in a subdued manner, refraining from their normal nipping and biting. The mother then moved the dead pup up to four times over a two-day period, gently moving it from place to place, seemingly in an effort to keep it near to the family
CORVIDS
Birds of the Corvidae family, which includes crows and magpies, have been recorded gathering around the corpses of deceased flock-mates in a way that has been likened to human funerals. One magpie was observed gently prodding at a fallen companion, before gathering some grass and laying it beside its body, as a human might lay a wreath.
ELEPHANTS
Elephants also gather around the bodies of their dead. In one report, the entire family of a deceased matriarch surrounded her corpse, gently touching her with their trunks, as if trying to lift her, while making sounds of apparent distress. The herd eventually fell silent and proceeded to cover her in leaves and branches, before standing vigil by her body for two days.
- Elephant graveyards: is there any truth in the legend elephants go to a special place to die?
- Elephant guide: where do they live, what do they eat and how to identify them
CHIMPANZEES
In Cameroon, a poignant moment unfolded at the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Centre following the natural death of Dorothy, the matriarch, in 2008.
Twenty five chimpanzees from her community gathered in a display of quiet contemplation, a stark departure from their typically noisy gatherings, suggesting a profound sense of loss.
The event was photographed by volunteer Monica Szczupider and the image won a National Geographic competition, reaching millions and sparking widespread astonishment at the human-like expressions of grief exhibited by the chimpanzees.
