In nature, animals have shown remarkable characteristics that seem very human-like. Whether it is the bond between a mother and her child, or that of friends, they are just as human as us. There have been several studies researching animals and their emotions. For example, a study published in 2010 discussed how consolation, or providing comfort to another individual to make them feel better, has been used to demonstrate empathy in human children.
In a touching act of compassion, on 4 January, a peacock refused to leave its partner after it had died. The video of the peacock following the two men taking away the body of the other peacock was shared by Indian Forest Officer (IFS) Parveen Kaswan on his Twitter handle.
The two peacocks were living together for the last four years. The incident took place in the house of Shri Ramswarup Bishnoi in Kuchera, Rajasthan. The video was filmed during the funeral of the peacock. His tweet describes the video as ‘touching’.
Watch the video here:
The heartwrenching video struck a chord with users online. Here are some reactions from Twitter:
Similar examples of consolation have also been observed in chimpanzee troops. Some studies also suggest animals are capable of empathising with members of other species, including humans. This is just one of the many examples that show us that animals are just as human, if not more in these situations. There is a lot that we as a species can learn from them.
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