one topic---lot of crazy questions

[corndog-44]

About how animals communicate with each other and what they spend so much time chattering to each other about. At this point, my quest seems absolutely overwhelming. Real experts devote entire careers to studying a single species of animal and are still left with many more questions than answers at the end of the day. My head is full of questions, too: If animal behavior is mostly instinctual, as scientists generally thought for more than a hundred years, why do animals need to communicate? If animals are thinking creatures and capable of emotions, as a growing number of scientists now believe, do their signals convey information (similar to our words)? Or are animals merely snarling or cooing to manipulate each other's behavior to get something they want (as we also often do)? How did the colorful, noisy, and smelly signals of the animal kingdom arise in the first place? Is any animal system of communication similar to human language? Do animals ever lie or attempt to deceive each other when communicating? Do the chirps, barks, and roars of different species have anything in common or follow predictable rules or patterns? Can a bird understand a monkey? Do species learn to communicate or is it all programmed by genes? To what extent is human communication, both verbal and nonverbal, programmed into our genes?

[owl_girl]

Fore birds that mate for life like swans and geese sometimes when their mate dies the one left stops eating and mopes about which sounds like depression to me.
When animals try to make themselves look bigger to ovoid getting eaten that’s kinda like a lie, animals bluff which is the same thing as a lying I think.

[trax]

A few years back there were some scientists trying to prove that wolves and caribou communicated telepathically, wolves always go after the sickest and weakest of the caribou herd and these scientists worked on the theory that the lead wolf would actually get "permission"from the lead caribou over which members of the herd to take.

[Beo]

I don't care what they're saying, long as I can eat'em :D

[Beo]

I think the telepathic link was the hungry look in the wolves eyes and the scared shi*less look in the caribou's saying 'oh God please don't pick me' :D

[trax]

I think you're probably right, I just wanted to contribute it to the conversation. I mean what's next, pine martens doing tarot readings for squirrels? (I see many sharp teeth in your future....)

I know an old Indian lady who I am absolutely certain converses with squirrels and birds ..as in...they're conversing with her too, I know LOTS of people who are having one way conversations with squirrels and birds LMAO....

[LadyTrapper]

I believe that a predator and prey have a telepathic "converstation of death" Actually read about it somewhere over the years. Why is it that sometimes a wolf/coyote can saunter through a field of cattle or other domesticted animal and barely be noticed and other times the prey will flee and scatter instantly. I think the prey can sense when a predator is hungry and on the hunt or just traveling through on his way around its territory.
Most animals have distress calls such as the rabbit(coyotes are attracted to), baby animals such as cubs and fawns etc etc. so that I consider a language we dont understand. Mama birds "lie" or as owlgirl mentioned, bluff,when faking a broken wing to lure away would-be predators from the nesting area. Possums play dead, hair raises on bears when greeting other bear to make themselves look bigger, deer stomp the ground when unsure of what they are looking at to see if it will move. Another interesting thing I had observed and even researched a little is that deer will need two triggers to take flight. If they spot you or predator and dont smell you and you dont move, they will not run. If they see you and smell you they will... if they spot you and see movement from you, they will bolt as well. Seen this time and time again, which leans me to the belief that they really do need two "triggers"(sight, smell, or movement) to flee....other wise they would be on the run all the time in their wild world.
Animal behaviour is one of the most fascinating to observe and learn from. Great topic.

Yes I think they do have thier own language amoung their own species with sounds, grunts, squeals, purrs etc, but I think communication between differing species is through eye contact, posture and instinctive "feelings"

[trax]

twice and broke up laughing seeing that little possum with William Shatner doing the voice in "Over the Hedge"....."must ...go...to the...light.."

but you do make some very valid points Lady Trapper.

[Sarge47]

A lean,hungry old Wolf communicated with the leader of a large herd of Caribou:
"Hello, great Caribou leader, as you can see I am very hungry. Which of your old, weak, charges might I eat today?" queried El Lobo.

"Welcome, you may eat the Old, brown caribou on top of the knoll way over there. He is very weak as well as old and is no longer needed." Answered the mighty Stag."

"You mean the one that sort of looks like a big old Grizzley bear?" asked the Wolf."

"Yes, that is his natural camoflage, that is how he lived to be so old as every other preditor in the woods has left him alone." He was told.

"Hmmm, very clever, he even SMELLS Like a griz. But I'll end that right now!"

As the old Wolf dashed off too claim his victim a young Caribou approached the leader. "But Grandfather," he said, "that really IS a grizzley bear!"

To which the Caribou answered with a wide grin: "I know, we made a deal with the bears to supply them food so they'd leave us be. Now watch this stupid Wolf!":rolleyes:

[trax]

Fore birds that mate for life like swans and geese sometimes when their mate dies the one left stops eating and mopes about which sounds like depression to me.
When animals try to make themselves look bigger to ovoid getting eaten that’s kinda like a lie, animals bluff which is the same thing as a lying I think.

Canada geese have been documented mourning their dead mates, and they never mate again. Just dewy-eyed sentimentalists them Canadians....:rolleyes:

[Stealth]

There have been studies that prove animals do communicate between each other. many primates emit different pitched vocalizations with different predator threats. animals can communicate between different species, but the animals have to be trained first. apes can use sign language or card cues to communicate with human trainers. I feel that most of these communications have been evolved to help the individual organism and the group survive...

you said animals spend so much time chattering, but i think humans do it much more than any animal

[Sarge47]

left an important part of the ending out of my little fable. I just re-edited it.:rolleyes:

[owl_girl]

That was great Sarge lol

[corndog-44]

Scientists ascribing human motivations or thoughts to animals is in my opinion the wrong way to go. Though the basic motivation drives my be pretty well the same, their thinking process isn't able to match the thinking process of a human...if they do really think then it has to be a totally different way of thinking.

People with the gift to attract wild animals to themselves is really amazing. Do they have the mysterious sixth sense that guides animal attraction? Or is it what I like to think...that there must be pheromonal signals whose identity we do not yet know sent by the person with this gift.