Monday, February 14, 2011

Difference Between Humans and Animals, Part XIX

Valentines relationship edition:
Female wild Bechstein's bats prefer to literally hang out with certain friends while they also keep loose ties to the rest of their colony. Lead author Gerald Kerth told Discovery News that these bat buddies mirror human ones. Despite all of their "daily chaos, the bats are able to maintain long-term relationships," he said.
Okay, so that's a similarity, what about this:
Male bats of this species are solitary, but females roost together in bat boxes and tree cavities. They preferred certain companions over the years.
Yikes. Surely they just appreciate the familiarity and that's it:
consultant for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, pointed out that female bats even sometimes serve as midwives.

In one documented case, a pregnant fruit bat in Florida was attended by an unrelated female fruit bat, according to Balcombe, who is author of the book "Second Nature." The helper bat repeatedly groomed and hugged the pregnant bat during the birthing process.

"Following birth, the helper groomed the pup, and she and a third female fanned the mother with her wings," added Balcombe.
Dang that's surprising. So what can we do for Valentines Day that animals can't? Justin Beiber.

2 comments:

  1. Obviously you love debate. There are lots of characteristics that made animals far from being compared to human. As far as I knew animals make human happy like my little rabbit sniffing on my cheeks every time I visit her in her rabbit hutch.

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  2. I agree there are differences, but I've been surprised how just how few there are.

    Oh yeah, and rabbits are great.

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You are the reason why I do not write privately. I would love to hear your thoughts, whether you agree or not.