{"id":767933,"date":"2022-04-23T07:30:19","date_gmt":"2022-04-23T11:30:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/animalrightswatch.us\/?p=767933"},"modified":"2022-04-23T07:57:35","modified_gmt":"2022-04-23T11:57:35","slug":"cooperation-in-animals-from-ants-to-rats-to-clusterflocks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/animalrightswatch.us\/?p=767933","title":{"rendered":"Cooperation in Animals: From ants to rats to clusterflocks"},"content":{"rendered":"\t
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We\u2019ve long thought ourselves to be distinct and separate from the rest of the animal kingdom. Yet we, too, are social animals. Simply put, by understanding animals, we learn about ourselves.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\n

MARC BEKOFF:<\/strong> Ashley Ward is the author of a new book called \u201cThe Social Lives of Animals.\u201d The book aims to communicate Ward\u2019s enthusiasm for the science of animal behavior to a wide audience… Here’s what Ashley had to say about his fascinating and easy-to-read tour through the animal kingdom…<\/em><\/p>\n

MB: Why did you write The Social Lives of Animals?<\/em><\/p>\n

AW: The book marries my passion for writing with my fascination for animals. The process of writing The Social Lives of Animals was an absolute joy, but my broader aim was to try and communicate my enthusiasm for the science of animal behaviour to a wide audience. Part of the process of my research at the University of Sydney is to produce academic papers that detail new scientific advances in the field. However, these papers are tailored to a relatively small audience of other researchers in my discipline.<\/em><\/p>\n

Consequently, so many fascinating discoveries fail to reach the public\u2019s notice because we scientists often don\u2019t do a good enough job of publicising our findings, despite their inherently fascinating nature. I wanted to address this in my book, to engage with a wide range of readers, to share the wonderful things that are going on in the study of animal behaviour, and, hopefully, to make them as excited as I am about the subject…<\/em><\/p>\n

MB: What are some of the topics you weave into your book and what are some of your major messages?<\/em><\/p>\n

AW: I think that the incredible diversity of species that have opted to live socially, in groups, represents one of the most extraordinary stories in animal behaviour. Think of ants, fish, and the tadpoles I mentioned earlier. Then there\u2019s so many birds that flock or nest in colonies\u2014clusterflocks\u2014as well as a host of mammals, including dolphins and primates, who live in tight-knit groups.<\/em><\/p>\n

Sociality is one of the most widespread and important strategies out there, and it\u2019s something that so many animals, not least us, have to thank for their success. That success comes, in large part, from the cooperation that is fostered by group living. Yet despite this, we\u2019ve long seemed to focus on aspects of behaviour such as aggression and competition, summed up by phrases such as “nature red in tooth and claw.”<\/em><\/p>\n

These elements can, of course, be dramatic\u2014think of two elephant seals battling for supremacy, for instance\u2014but if we view life solely from this perspective, we\u2019re missing the point. The bonds that social animals form provide one of the most powerful forces in nature and it\u2019s by working together that they\u2019ve succeeded. I think that this viewpoint has long been neglected and it\u2019s one that I bring to the fore in my book.<\/em><\/p>\n

Another theme is our exceptionalism: we\u2019ve long thought ourselves to be distinct and separate from the rest of the animal kingdom. Yet we, too, are social animals and it\u2019s through this tendency to build alliances and to cooperate which provides the foundation for humanity\u2019s achievements. Moreover, we can see the roots of our social tendencies in the behaviour of the myriad animals that live in groups. Simply put, by understanding animals, we learn about ourselves. <\/em>SOURCE…<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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