Journal Entry 6

After watching the Ted Talk about "What are animals feeling and thinking?" it made me truly think about other animals. Growing up, sometimes I would look at an animal and wonder silly things such as do they have birthdays or do they get in trouble. I never really think much about it when watching them interact. A few things from the clip really stuck with me. The elephant and then four days later showing it dead with its trunk detached and its family just looking at it. They have to experience some grief and being sad or terrified. Just as we would if we saw something like that happen to a loved one. I also thought it was interesting with the elephants and the hidden speakers. The sounds of tourist didn't bother them but the sounds of hunters frightened them. It shows that they are aware of us humans and can distinguish between which ones are harmless and which ones they should be scared of. I think that also shows a level of intelligence. Another part of the video I thought was cool was the dolphins. That they new the lady and her boat but wouldn't approach it one day because some died, the dolphins knew that before anyone else on the ship did. Or when the baby dolphin used the milk to replicate a human blowing smoke. It truly is amazing how smart the animals are and how the baby is trying to replicate someone just as a human baby would do. Animals have to learn the same way humans do. Another thing I think about is service dogs, how they can since stuff about the human and be able to give compassion or help them in life. I think it is truly amazing what animals are capable of. It makes me think of the Harambe situation that when the baby fell into his cage he immediately went to protect it, he recognized that is was a child and wanted to protect it as they would their own and what did we do. We as humans killed the animal. I personally don't believe the child was in any danger, the gorilla was just simply doing something the mom couldn't do, protect it. Just as the video pointed out that the killer whales don't eat the humans even though they are right there because that's not what they eat. Overall I think the clip showed a perspective of animals that we don't usually think of and it was interesting to watch.