Elephants are perhaps the gold standard for social depth. They don't just travel in herds; they form lifelong friendships. When a member of the group dies, they have been observed standing vigil for days, touching the bones of the deceased with their trunks in a display of what many biologists define as mourning. Social Intelligence and Complexity
The old dichotomy—animals have instinct, humans have society—is dead. Animals have (voting wild dogs), morality (shaming boobies), grief rituals (orca funerals), and friendships without utility (warthogs and mongooses). zooseks animal extra quality
: Some species are famous for their "extra quality" of commitment. Atlantic puffins Elephants are perhaps the gold standard for social depth
: Interacting with animals promotes the release of oxytocin (the "bonding hormone") and significantly lowers cortisol (the "stress hormone"). morality (shaming boobies)