Just Animals?

For a long time, human beings have thought of animals as "lesser creatures" [thought my zoologist friends would argue that we also are in the kingdom Animalia ].

Today, I present you with two humbling videos, that definitely make me sure that we are not any "special" species.

First, this lion who shows love for the lady who rescued him when he was a cub. [ref: Princess]


Second, an elephant who draws a self-portrait!! [ref: Abi] Even if he was trained for this, I consider it no small feat. Many adults I know don't have such a steady hand [let alone nose-muscles :D].

update: Youtube version found. Embedded. More info here.


The other day, Jack Miles told me after an event that he believed that religion is as old as humanity -- since from the moment when we knew that we knew something, we also knew that we did not know a whole lot more, and thought of gods to explain it. I then asked him -- "Does this mean that Dolphins also pray?". He did not believe that it was the case, since Dolphins do not know what knowledge is. I don't think I completely agree, the videos above being testimony to the fact that animals are much more complex than we give them credit for.