The Great Apes

A good friend used to enjoy the quote "Man's a kind of missing link, vainly thinking he could think." I don't remember who wrote it, but it came to mind recently when I was reading about new research on chimpanzees. Scientists have found that chimps not only employ tools to fish out termites and other bugs, but they also create spears and use them to actively hunt and kill rodents. I find this fascinating, as I am always interested in the intelligence of animals and the wide variety of creatures and behaviors that exist in the natural world. I don't believe that animals merely exhibit mechanical responses to stimuli, but rather feel emotions, solve problems and even manipulate the behavior of others.
I like this gorilla picture: he is probably just scratching at a flea, but it looks as if he's trying to figure out how to get a treat out of the container.

It's hard not to anthropomorphise, but we also shouldn't assume that humans are somehow separate and above the rest of nature. If global warming isn't enough to prove the interconnectedness of things, just observing animals will show that we have quite a lot in common with other creatures. I've read research that elephants and dolphins can recognize themselves in mirrors. Herd animals will get upset if a long-time memberof the group is removed, and some can remember an individual's voice and smell for years. Scrub jays are aware enough to understand that if they see another bird watching when they hide a treat, they will go back later to move it to a new hiding place!
It would be nice if more poeple would pay attention to the similarities we have to other creatures, rather than trying to be master of all.