Insights Inspired by “Can other animals understand death?” by Ted-Ed
The emotional lives of animals have fascinated humans for centuries. Do they love? Do they mourn? Do they grieve as we do? The YouTube video “Can other animals understand death?” by Ted-Ed explores this profound question through scientific research, case studies, and powerful real-world examples—from orcas and baboons to elephants and giraffes.
In this comprehensive blog, we expand on the video’s insights to help readers understand how animals respond to loss, why these behaviors matter, and how acknowledging animal emotions can transform our approach to welfare, conservation, and everyday pet care.
Just as we carefully support our pets through stress at home—keeping their environment comforting and clean with tools such as Carpet Deodorizers, Laundry Powders, and All-Purpose Cleaners—understanding their emotional lives helps us support them more compassionately.
The Orca Who Carried Her Calf: A Story That Challenged Our Assumptions
In 2018, an orca named Tahlequah captured global attention when she carried her deceased newborn daughter for 17 days across 1,600 kilometers.
Her behaviors were unmistakably deliberate:
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Diving to retrieve the slipping body
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Altering her feeding and travel routines
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Remaining physically close despite decomposition
This haunting image raised a powerful scientific question:
Was Tahlequah grieving—or simply confused?
For many years, scientists hesitated to label animal emotions due to the fear of anthropomorphizing—projecting human feelings onto animals. Yet Tahlequah’s journey compelled experts and the public alike to reconsider old assumptions.
Historical Evidence Suggesting Emotional Depth in Animals
Ideas about animal grief are far from new. Even Charles Darwin, in 1871, suggested that many animals experience a wide emotional range. For most of scientific history, however, the dominant belief was that animals merely “reacted” rather than “felt.”
A pivotal moment came in 1985, when the beloved gorilla Koko, known for her mastery of American Sign Language, lost her kitten companion.
Her reactions included:
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Distress vocalizations
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Signing words like “sad,” “cry,” and “frown”
This was one of the first well-documented cases suggesting that animals might express emotional responses to death in ways similar to humans.
How Elephants Respond to Loss: Memory, Mourning, and Ritual
Elephants have long been recognized for their social complexity and extraordinary memory. Their responses to death further underscore their cognitive and emotional depth.
A striking example occurred in 2003, when matriarch Eleanor collapsed.
Other elephants responded in ways that parallel human grief rituals:
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Grace, another matriarch, vocalized distress and tried to support Eleanor’s body
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A female named Maui rocked gently over Eleanor’s carcass
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Elephants from five different families visited her remains over the next week
Some elephants have been observed carrying tusks, bones, or body parts of family members—behavior interpreted by researchers as remembrance or respect.
Giraffes and Prolonged Grief: A Rarely Seen Side of a Silent Animal
Giraffes, though often perceived as calm and stoic, also demonstrate signs of mourning.
One case involved a calf born with a deformed foot, who lived just four weeks before dying. What followed was remarkable:
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22 females and 4 juveniles gathered around the body to nuzzle and investigate
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The mother remained by the calf for several days, even refusing to eat
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She continued staying near the remains even after hyenas scavenged it
Such persistent behavior challenges the outdated view that only highly social or “intelligent” animals grieve.
What Science Can Measure: Stress Hormones and Social Behavior in Baboons
In 2006, researchers conducted one of the first quantitative studies of grief in non-human animals by analyzing glucocorticoids—stress hormones—found in baboon feces.
Their findings were striking:
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Females who lost close relatives showed elevated stress hormones for roughly a month
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These bereaved baboons increased grooming and social bonding behaviors
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Stress hormones returned to baseline after two months
This combination of physiological and behavioral evidence strongly supports the idea that animals experience emotional distress after loss.
Primate Mothers and the Emotional Complexity of Loss
One of the most challenging behaviors to interpret is that of primate mothers carrying dead infants.
Observed responses vary widely:
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Some mothers groom or cradle the body
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Others may drag or cannibalize the corpse
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Many alternate between these contradictory actions
This behavioral inconsistency mirrors the emotional turmoil seen in humans dealing with traumatic loss, hinting at complex internal states rather than simple instinct.
What Does It All Mean? The Ethical Importance of Recognizing Animal Emotions
Understanding whether animals truly experience grief is not just a scientific question—it’s an ethical one.
Acknowledging grief-like responses in animals influences decisions such as:
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Whether orcas should be kept in captivity and isolation
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How dairy calves are separated from their mothers
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How wildlife conservation programs manage social species
If animals might grieve, many argue we should err on the side of compassion. After all, failing to recognize their emotional needs could cause avoidable suffering.
Just as we provide comfort and familiarity at home—clean spaces, predictable routines, cuddly blankets washed with gentle Laundry Powders—animals in the wild and in captivity deserve environments that honor their emotional well-being.
What We Know—and What We Don’t
Despite decades of anecdotes and growing scientific data, much remains uncertain. Animal inner lives are inherently difficult to study without projecting human experiences onto them.
Yet the evidence we do have is compelling:
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Orcas carrying deceased calves
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Gorillas signing sadness
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Elephants returning to bodies of the dead
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Giraffes refusing to leave their young
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Baboons showing measurable stress
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Primates displaying conflicting maternal behaviors
Across species, across continents, across decades, one pattern emerges:
Animals respond to death in ways that suggest awareness, emotion, and perhaps even grief.
Why This Understanding Matters for Pet Owners
Recognizing emotional capacity in wild animals helps us better understand our own pets at home.
Dogs, cats, and companion animals may:
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Form deep social bonds
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React strongly to change or loss
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Benefit from stable, comforting environments
Supporting pets emotionally often goes hand in hand with supporting them physically—simple actions like keeping their favorite blankets clean or refreshing spaces with safe, pet-friendly products such as:
The more we understand, the better we can care for them.
A Call for Compassion and Curiosity
The video “Can other animals understand death?” invites us to rethink long-held assumptions and approach animal behavior with humility. While science cannot yet definitively prove animal grief, mounting evidence suggests that many species respond emotionally to loss—sometimes in ways strikingly similar to humans.
Whether or not animals understand death as we do, their behaviors tell us something important:
Their lives contain emotion. Their bonds matter. Their experiences are worthy of empathy and respect.
To explore more science-backed pet insights, ethical discussions, and lifestyle tips, visit the Good Natured Brand Main Page or browse the Good Natured Brand Blog for more thoughtful reads.
