STUDY: Birds all over the world use the same sound to warn of threats
STUDY: Birds all over the world use the same sound to warn of threats
The study suggests that over 20 species of birds from all around the world that are separated by over 50 million years of evolution use the same call when they see their respective brood parasite species. However, past work has shown that birds that have never seen a cuckoo do not produce this call, but they do after watching others produce it when there is a cuckoo nearby. In other words, while the response to the call is instinctive, producing the call itself is learned. Language enables us to connect with each other and coordinate to achieve incredible feats. Our […]
The ‘Bambi’ Effect: The many downsides of ‘babifying’ cute animals
The ‘Bambi’ Effect: The many downsides of ‘babifying’ cute animals
“Cute” is not neutral. Big eyes, round faces, bobble-headed proportions trigger caretaking impulses and lower our guard. Once an animal is framed as a baby, interference feels like love and access feels like care. That framing travels: It softens wildlife encounters, justifies “hands-on” selfies, and underwrites a pet market that literally breeds infant-like traits into adult dogs at real welfare costs. That visibility normalizes ownership and contact; it becomes an alibi for exploitation. The aesthetics of tenderness can hide profound entitlement… A very common practice for making nonhuman animals (animals) more appealing or selling various products is to infantilize them […]
Trapped in a Tank: The hidden cruelty of the tropical fish trade
Trapped in a Tank: The hidden cruelty of the tropical fish trade
About 55 million marine animals are sold annually, worth more than 2.1 billion. In this trade, mortality rates throughout the supply chain are staggering. Some studies estimate that up to 80 percent of marine aquarium fish die between capture and final sale. Fish are not ornaments, but living beings with personalities, preferences, and the capacity to suffer. Scientific evidence shows that fish experience pain (up to 22 minutes of intense pain when taken out of water), recognize individual human divers, and form social bonds — making their mistreatment all the more troubling… Tropical fish are among the most popular ‘pets’ […]
