Non-Humans at Play

[pameladlloyd]

When I was growing up, any suggestion that animals (other than humans) were capable of emotion or thought was dismissed as anthropomorphism. Today, we're learning that the other creatures we share this planet with can and do experience emotion and have thoughts. Two recent posts by people on my friends list give examples of this.

Via tillianion, we have a post about the games magpie bubs play.

Via asakiyume, we have a post about dolphins at play.

Here are a few articles and essays about emotion, thought, and play in non-humans that may be of interest:

Animal Minds and Animal Emotions

The serious business of animal play

Farm animals 'need emotional TLC'

Animal Emotions

Engines of Our Ingenuity, No. 1340: Animals and Emotion

How Can We Measure The Emotional States Of Animals?

What we're learning about other primates, also offers a lot of insight into the emotions of non-human animals, as well as about language learning and use.

Conversations with a Gorilla

A Voluble Visit with Two Talking Apes Note: The sidebar (located below the main story) about dogs is quite interesting, also.

Apes Point to Origins of Human Language