At 02:56 AM 4/28/04 +0200, Klas Strandberg wrote:
>However, I think it is possible for a bird to "mourn" in some instinctive=
>way, but it has little to do with what humans do.
>We just love being romantic about it.
It would be logical to assume that the same physical symptoms that =
occur in humans and vertebrates (fluctuations in blood pressure, hormonal l=
evels, etc.) which *we* interpret as anger, lust, grief, and so on, are phy=
sically felt by animals too. For instance, mothers of new born mammals gene=
rate oxytocin (sp?) which in humans is generally held to be the cause of mo=
therly feelings. Those without don't make good mothers.
The difference between men and animals is that *we* romanticize *ou=
r* physical feelings into books, paintings, and domestic disputes. We canno=
t *mistakenly* ascribe human feelings to animals, because we do in fact sha=
re those feelings. Animals just don't write emails about them.
Our guide on the Galapagos told us not to 'anthromorphize'. I even=
tually realized that what he meant was that we should not treat wild animal=
s as though they were pets - don't touch them, don't feed them, don't get t=
oo close. This is equally good advice for tourists in NY City.
-- Chuck
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Chuck Bragg, Pacific Palisades, CA
Membership Chair
Newsletter Editor
Santa Monica Bay Audubon Society:
www.smbas.org
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