1. Magpies

These little birds arent exactly what we picture in our heads when we think of intelligence, but theyre thought to be some of the most intelligent of all animals, even recognizing themselves in the mirror test(and the only non-mammal to do so).

But their intelligence goes much farther than just self-awareness. Magpies, like other birds such as ravensand chickens, are surprisingly empathetic to others of their kind. Once in a while theyll be seen engaging in elaborate social rituals that drive scientists and researchers crazy with interest.

Dr. Bekoff of the University of Colorado has studied these rituals and concluded that magpies both feel grief and hold funerals. He studied four magpies that took interest in a magpie corpse and recorded their behavior.

One approached the corpse, gently pecked at it, just as an elephant would nose the carcass of another elephant, and stepped back. Another magpie did the same thing, he read.

Next, one of the magpies flew off, brought back some grass and laid it by the corpse. Another magpie did the same. Then all four stood vigil for a few seconds and one by one flew off.

We cant know what they were actually thinking or feeling, but reading their action theres no reason not to believe these birds were saying a magpie farewell to their friend, he wrote in the journal Emotion, Space and Society.

Not bad for a bunch of squawking pests in your backyard, hm?

2. Elephants

If you really knew how smart, sensitive, and creative these animals are youd be amazed. Honestly, elephants do it all. They live in societies with their own cultures, self-medicate with plants, protect people and other animals in trouble,and PAINT. Paint! Really? Anyone else a little disheartened that their artistic talent will never match up to an elephants?

Elephants have such intense social groups that they become extremely upset when one of their own dies. Of all animal grieving and funeral rituals, there is none as well documented or well known as the elephants.

Upon seeing the bones or carcass of another elephant, a family will stop and investigate them, even if the elephant was unrelated to the group. The ritual includes touching the bones gently with their trunks while remaining very quiet, covering the body with leaves and grass, and if the elephant belonged to their own, staying with the body for days or weeks at a time.



Elephant researcher Martin Meredith had this story to tell:The entire family of a dead matriarch, including her young calf, were all gently touching her body with their trunks, trying to lift her. The elephant herd were all rumbling loudly. The calf was observed to be weeping and made sounds that sounded like a scream, but then the entire herd fell incredibly silent. They then began to throw leaves and dirt over the body and broke off tree branches to cover her. They spent the next two days quietly standing over her body. They sometimes had to leave to get water or food, but they would always return.

Elephants are such compassionate animals that theyll even grieve for and bury their number one killers us. A news report in Kenyatold of an elephant that trampled a human mother and her child and then stopped to bury them before disappearing in the bush.

Fact is, its pretty obvious to see that elephants mourn for their dead

3. Chimpanzees

Chimpanzees are some of our closest related relatives, so it might not come as a shock that they have similar emotions to our own. But to what extent?

Take the case of Dorothy, an elderly chimp of 30 years who died at theSanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Centre in eastern Cameroon. Workers at the center knew Dorothy was a prominent figure in her family of 25 chimps, but they were not prepared for what happened as they took Dorothy to her final resting place.

The family of chimps lined up along the perimeter of the enclosure, watching in quiet contemplation as Dorothy was wheeled past them and buried. They placed their hands on one anothers shoulders, perhaps mourning, perhaps comforting one another, and watched in complete silence, a rareoccurrencefor these usually loud and boisterous animals.

Monica Szczupider, who took the photo, had this to say:This is a funeral shot. We were burying Dorothy. We brought her in the wheelbarrow to let the others see.

It was unbelievably emotional. We were all struck. Even the employees, all of whom grew up as villagers potentially eating apes, before they were a delicacy, were emotional.

I think every last one of us was silenced by their silence.

The point of this is, mournin the loss of a loved one, the burial of a loved one is not a religious concept at all. Animals do it, animals who have never heard of God or Allah, animals who were never taught to do this via any religious doctrine.

If anyone knows of any other animals who do this, pls add to it, I would appreciate it. Thanks Gypsy.

Dogs do it especially war dogs

The insight and intelligence of the elephant is particularly note-worthy in their ability to mourn their dead. This behaviour has only previously been noted in humans. In fact, recently deceased elephants will receive a burial ceremony, while those who are already reduced to a skeleton are still paid respect by passing herds. The burial ceremony is marked by deep rumblings while the dead body is touched and caressed by the herd members trunks.

What? I don't know much about animals but you might be taking things too far. What's next, respect animals are in mourning?

Burial ceremony? The first step to the nightmare scenario described in the animal marriage topic. Start using human concepts to refer to animals.

I admit I'm speaking from ignorance but the language and terminology in here is getting creepy.