Most vertebrates produce tears for healthy eyes, used to cleanse and moisten the cornea. Tear fluid has antibacterial properties and nutrients. Animals may show emotional distress through cries and grief over the death of their owners. Elephants have been observed “crying” tears of pain. Anthropomorphism may have a factual basis.
Even though animals don’t cry like humans do, they do produce tears.
Because tear production, called lachrymation, is necessary for healthy eyes, most vertebrates are capable of producing tears.
Tears are produced in mammals by the lacrimal system, the tissues that produce water. In land mammals, tears have evolved to replace the water bath that constantly surrounds the eyes of aquatic animals and fish. Tears are used to cleanse the cornea and keep it moist. When a speck of dirt, for example, lodges in the eye, more tears are produced to wash away the irritant.
Tear fluid is rich in nutrients and has antibacterial properties that help fight infection. The salt in tears helps create an osmotic balance within the eye.
In animals, it’s virtually impossible to tell whether their tears are the result of emotion or simply caused by eye irritation. Most scientists agree, however, that humans are the only animals that produce emotional tears.
While animals don’t cry like humans, they do make cries that seem to indicate emotional distress. Baby animals of all types sing when separated from their mothers. Elephants in particular make a very sad, wailing sound that sounds like crying. Hunters and some wildlife experts have said that the sound of a bear cub crying when separated from its mother is remarkably similar to the cries of a human baby. In these cases, the cries probably serve as a form of direct communication with the mother.
There are many cases of animals showing grief over the death of their owners. The famous Greyfriars Bobby, a small dog whose owner has died, constantly watched over the grave until his death fourteen years later. A statue and fountain were later erected in honor of the loyal terrier.
The attribution of “human” emotions to animals (anthropomorphism) is often derided, but may have a factual basis. A poodle that has lost a canine companion may refuse to eat. Dolphins have been known to carry their dead babies with them for days. A moose can watch over a dead calf until predators destroy it and the geese mate for life. While it’s virtually impossible for a human to know what animals are actually thinking or feeling, these behaviors appear to indicate real emotions.
Elephants, which are sensitive and highly intelligent animals with an evolved social structure, have been observed “crying”. Charles Darwin was told by Indian elephant keepers at London Zoo that the animals shed tears of pain.
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