The Science Times is finding creative ways to compare complex social networks thoughout the animal kingdom to politics as usual.
Just as there are myriad strategies open to the human political animal with White House ambitions, so there are a number of nonhuman animals that behave like textbook politicians. Researchers who study highly gregarious and relatively brainy species like rhesus monkeys, baboons, dolphins, sperm whales, elephants and wolves have lately uncovered evidence that the creatures engage in extraordinarily sophisticated forms of politicking, often across large and far-flung social networks.
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Thank you for this very pleasant clip from The Lion King; it's been a long time since watching it.
I think these wonderful animals have a 'one up' on us humans, generally.
Researchers who study highly gregarious and relatively brainy species like rhesus monkeys, baboons, dolphins, sperm whales, elephants and wolves have lately uncovered evidence that the creatures engage in extraordinarily sophisticated forms of politicking, often across large and far-flung social networks.
This is not surprising! The human politicians have been compared to animals for ever. Turn about is fair play! LOL!
Dave Briggs :~)
Comparisons between social animals and politicians can get a little tenuous, but the analogy has been around for quite a bit. Perhaps most famous is Frans de Waal's 25-year-old book Chimpanzee Politics.
Click my name for a review of a more recent de Waal book, Our Inner Ape.
The opening limerick even helps you pronounce bonobo correctly.
As you probably know, bonobos give new meaning to "Make love, not war."