Page 30 - FWG Issue 3_April_2022
P. 30

Nature






































                                                                                                            Satya Deep, Unsplash



         an understanding and empathy that was   where, by inference, it had become neurotic   In a lecture, American ecologist, Carl Safina,
         understated before.                in precluding researchers from interpreting   put it more circumspectly,  “. . . people
                                            animal behaviour in an anthropomorphic   who know animals know this word –
         Many respected male scientists remain   way. Sheldrick wrote how science tended to   anthropomorphism – and know ‘You must
         sceptical  about  emotions  existing  impose its “own complicated explanations   never project human feelings and emotions
         among animals, yet it is difficult to deny   as to why an animal was behaving in a   on other animals’. But I am here to tell you I
         the significance of, for instance, Dutch   certain way, when, in fact, the answer was   think that projecting human emotions and
         ethologist, Frans de  Waal’s experience   pretty simple. One simply had to compare it   human thoughts on other animals is the
         described in his 2019 book, Mama’s last hug.   to the likely response of the human animal if   best first guess about what they are doing
                                            subjected to the same set of circumstances.”   and why.”
         The  ‘Mama’ referred to was a big
         chimpanzee matriarch who formed a deep
         bond with Dutch biologist, Jan van Hooff.
         Van Hooff knew her for half-a-century
         and, knowing she must be dying, went to
         visit her after a long absence. A cell phone
         video showed the dying chimp curled up,
         unresponsive, and refusing all food as van
         Hoof, unannounced, approaches.

         De Waal wrote: “He is calling, softly to her.
         She remains curled up, showing no sign of
         recognising his voice. Then an eyelid opens.
         Then both.  Suddenly Mama’s face erupts
         into the broadest, fleshiest grin one can
         imagine in an ape. Her feeble arm uncurls
         from her chest and reaches out and finds
         her old friend’s greying hair and begins to
         stroke it. Her fingers tremble in his hair. The
         smile remains splitting her ancient face. She
         pulls him towards her and tries to hug.”

         Daphne   Sheldrick,  in  her  2012
         autobiographical Love, Life and Elephants,
         suggested that science had reached a stage                                                        Ryan al Bishri, Unsplash


                                                  Fourways Gardens • 28 • April 2022
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