Biology Letters, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 21(4)

Опубликована: Апрель 1, 2025

Although it is understood that all humans grieve the death of close social partners, little empirical research has addressed animals’ responses to death. In this study, we collected quantitative data on behaviour 11 bereaved rhesus macaque ( Macaca mulatta ) mothers at Cayo Santiago natural deaths their infants and matched, non-bereaved controls. Our focused behavioural signs grief, including loss appetite, lethargy, increased stress withdrawal, highlighting such are documented in human literature, but could be found mammalian taxa. Using mixed models, that, contrary prediction, spent less time resting than control females first two weeks after infants’ deaths. There were no other markers grief. We conclude showed a short-term response bereavement does not match human’s prolonged ‘despair’ propose mothers’ might form ‘protest’ as seen primate when separated from humans, or do grieve. hope advance field comparative thanatology by providing framework novel predictions for future studies area.

Язык: Английский