Animal Minds Often View Death Much Like Human Minds

Studying how nonhuman animals view death shows much about how their minds work.

Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

Key points

• Studying nonhuman animals responses to death shows a lot about their minds and similarities to human minds.
• When it comes to understanding the concept of death, animals show evidence of understanding like humans do.
• Avoidance, grief and social changes are just some pieces of evidence showing that animals understand death.

Human beings are often said to be the only animals who truly have a “mind” in the way that term is commonly used. But that view has been challenged over the past several decades. That challenge arises most often because animals often show evidence of understanding concepts similar to humans. What makes this difficult to see is that humans primarily use words to convey these concepts and, as a result, often do not recognize if a concept is used in a nonverbal way.

There is a new field that studies how animals treat probably the most challenging concept that all animals face, death. This field is called “comparative thanatology” and it is specifically the study of animals’ relation to death (Monso, 2022). It is part of a larger new field called “philosophy of animals’ minds”. Death is such a challenging concept, one that human beings often actively avoid thinking about, that if animals seem to understand it could they not be said to have a “mind”?

In the context of this discussion, having a "mind" means possessing the capacity for thoughts, emotions, and some level of self-awareness. While the human mind is capable of abstract reasoning and complex emotional experiences, the question is whether animals have a more basic form of these abilities. Human beings may be the only animals capable of recognizing the inevitability of death but that does not mean they are the only ones capable of understanding it.

If you think about it, animals in the wild show a clear understanding of death reflected by how hard they work to avoid it. Terms like “survival instinct” and “survival of the fittest” are prominent in describing animal behavior because they reflect the importance of eluding death. Humans talk about avoiding death but other animals act more purposefully in avoiding death. If words define how much a species understands a concept then humans clearly comprehend this concept more, but if nonverbal actions show understanding then other animals clearly comprehend more.

Several species display actions that resemble mourning rituals, suggesting a recognition of death and an emotional response to it. Elephants are often cited as one of the most empathetic species on the planet. They have been observed gathering around the bodies of their dead, gently touching them with their trunks, and sometimes even covering the body with leaves and branches. Elephants have also been known to revisit the bones of deceased relatives, engaging in what appears to be a form of mourning or remembrance. This behavior suggests a deep emotional connection and an awareness that something irreversible has happened.

Primates, especially chimpanzees, exhibit similar behaviors. Jane Goodall famously documented instances of chimpanzees appearing to mourn the death of group members. In one case, a mother chimp carried her dead infant for days, seemingly unable to part with it. Such behavior hints at an understanding of loss and an emotional attachment that persists even after death. Whales and dolphins, too, have been observed engaging in mourning-like behaviors. Dolphins have been seen supporting the bodies of dead companions at the water’s surface, almost as if trying to help them breathe. This suggests a level of understanding about life and death, as well as a willingness to comfort or aid others even when those efforts are futile.

While emotional responses are significant, the question of whether animals understand the concept of death itself—beyond the immediate loss—is more complex. Some researchers argue that true awareness of death requires a certain level of abstract thinking that may be beyond most animals. However, there are signs that some species may possess this understanding.

One way to infer an understanding of death is through self-awareness, often tested using the mirror test. If an individual recognizes themselves in a mirror—as animals including great apes, dolphins, and some birds do—they may have the cognitive capacity to recognize themselves as separate entities and, thus, may have the cognitive ability to comprehend their own mortality (Gonçalves & Biro, 2018).

Changes in behavior following the death of a companion can also indicate an understanding of mortality. For instance, in many social animals, the death of a dominant individual can lead to shifts in group dynamics. The survivors often display stress, anxiety, or even depression-like symptoms, which suggests they are aware of the change in their social structure and perhaps the permanence of death.

Skeptics argue that what appears to be mourning behavior could simply be instinctual responses rather than evidence of a mind capable of processing death. For example, a mother carrying a dead infant might be acting out of a strong maternal instinct rather than grief. However, the consistency of these behaviors across different species and contexts suggests that something more than instinct is at play.

The study of how animals treat death provides compelling evidence that many species possess emotional and cognitive capacities that were once thought to be uniquely human. While the full extent of their understanding of death remains a subject of debate, the behaviors observed in elephants, primates, cetaceans, and other animals suggest that they experience loss in profound ways.

Understanding that animals may have minds capable of feeling and thinking about death not only enriches our knowledge of the natural world but also invites us to reconsider our ethical responsibilities toward them. As research continues to unveil the complexities of animal consciousness, it becomes increasingly clear that animals are not mere automatons but sentient beings deserving of empathy and respect.