It has love between animals? There are many nuances to consider before answering this question. The first is that, in reality, humans are animals The answer would be an unequivocal yes. Let’s modify it a little: is there love between us? non-human animals? We still need to clarify a little more here. What do we define as love? What kind of love are we even talking about?
Clearly, humans are the species in which love has been studied the most. In it, we can talk about different types of love bonds. A bond between family or friends can be considered love. But there is another much more visceral love, derived from an even more intense chemical cocktail that is romantic love.
If we refer to the first, we can say that love exists between animals. Even between different species. For example, studies have been conducted in which when analyzing over magnetic resonance elk dog brain, attachment areas are seen to be activated when they see their human friends. It was also visible it was an elephant they are crying to their dead. Or a female chimpanzee or killer whale carrying their dead calves until they almost starved. All this is also love. In the case of romantic love, it is much more difficult to define, but there is evidence that it may exist.
Possible examples of love between animals
Love between animals seems especially likely among the birds although it is not excluded for some mammals. For example, it was seen in birds Albatrosses form pairs that can last up to sixty years.. They fly over the ocean alone almost all year round, but at certain times they go to rendezvous on the island and have affectionate, non-reproductive behavior that shows that time is actually your own valentine.
There are also biologists who believe that romantic love exists between crows. They think so because they are animals that usually have long-lasting vapors, for many years. If the purpose were only reproductive, it would be ideal for them to change partners, as this would lead to greater genetic variability. There must be some reward or brain circuit that drives them to stay together for so long. And it could be romantic love.
On the other hand, it was observed between Whales some flirts that don’t seem to have mating. These are rare cases, but they gave scientists a lot to think about.
It’s all chemistry
We must not forget that romantic love between humans is still a chemical cocktail designed to provide us with rewards that stimulate us to do so we still see the person we love. At the beginning of a relationship, there is a revolution in our brain. Different types of neurotransmitters travel between neurons and go to different areas where they trigger pleasure responses to an almost absolute inability to see another person’s flaws.
It has evolutionary advantages. Animals that take the longest to breed are proven to be the ones that usually have monogamous relationships. Relationships that normally end when the offspring becomes independent. There are only exceptions like the above. crows and albatrosses.
Humans have an extremely long upbringing. Sometimes you can have children at home up to the age of 40. It’s not the most common, but around 20 is very typical. It is a comfortable and monogamous large, for which love is the perfect stimulus. Or very well-organized polyamory, but that’s another question.
In general, we first become dependent on this other person through neurotransmitters such as dopamine. Finally, attachment is favored, with the release of hormones such as oxytocin.
There are many studies that show that many animals share these brain circuits with us. Dopamine and oxytocin They also have brains flowing through them, through connections similar to ours. We have already seen that attachment, at least the non-romantic attachment, is very present in their lives. Therefore, although you cannot ask them and it is difficult to prove, it is more than likely that love between animals does exist. They don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day, but they also love each other. Like many people.
This blog post has left us feeling grateful and inspired