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There is solid evidence of animals demonstrating empathy, and not just a few cases. In some instances, animals care for one another, express deep grief, and even show concern for us. However they express it, there are numerous times when animals have shown empathy in ways that mirror human behavior—sometimes to an astonishing degree.
10. A Chimpanzee Comforted Her Caregiver After a Miscarriage
Central Washington University once welcomed a chimpanzee named Washoe. They taught Washoe sign language and raised her as human-like as possible to observe how well she could communicate. The experiment was an overwhelming success. Washoe was able to communicate, even forming complete, grammatically accurate sentences. However, the most remarkable development occurred entirely by chance.
One of Washoe’s caregivers, a woman named Kat, was pregnant and experienced a miscarriage. Overcome with grief, she took some time off work to cope before returning. Washoe, unaware of the concept of paid leave, perceived this absence as a personal slight and refused to look at Kat when she came back.
To soothe Washoe, Kat signed an apology and then explained, “My baby died.” Those who were present said Washoe stared at her in silence for a long period. Then, the chimpanzee signed the word “cry” and gently traced her finger down Kat’s cheek, mimicking a tear.
Later, when Kat’s shift ended and she was preparing to leave, Washoe stopped her, signing, “Please, person—hug?”
The chimpanzee, who had also experienced the loss of her own children, felt such deep sympathy for her caregiver’s sorrow that she refused to let Kat leave without offering a consoling hug.
9. Elephants Gathered to Mourn the Death of a Conservationist
Conservationist Lawrence Anthony became known as “the elephant whisperer.” He possessed the rare ability to calm African elephants. Working at the Thula Thula Reserve, he focused on easing the elephants' distress after being relocated. Although they longed to leave, he managed to keep them within the sanctuary, knowing they would face danger if they ventured beyond its borders.
Years later, Anthony passed away from a heart attack. At the time, he hadn’t been at the reserve or seen the elephants for a year and a half. Somehow, the elephants sensed his passing and left the reserve, traveling for 12 hours to his home to honor him. Just as elephants mourn the death of their own kind, they came to mourn Anthony’s passing.
In total, two entire herds of elephants arrived at his home in a procession, each herd coming separately. This enormous group of elephants waited at Anthony’s property for two days to grieve before returning home.
8. Dogs Naturally Offer Comfort to Crying Humans
If you’ve ever sensed that your dog truly understands your emotions, you might be right after all.
A recent animal behavior study was conducted to observe how dogs respond to emotional expressions. The experiment, which was initially carried out with babies, was adapted to examine how dogs react to strangers.
In the study, each dog was placed in a room with its owner and a stranger. Initially, the dog naturally gravitated toward its owner. The stranger would then attempt to engage the dog by speaking to it or humming, and the researchers noted the dog's response.
However, when the stranger pretended to cry, the dogs responded profoundly. Upon sensing distress, the dogs would leave their owners, approach the crying stranger, nuzzle them, and lick their face. Even if they didn’t know the person, the dogs would instinctively offer comfort to anyone in apparent emotional distress.
The researchers who conducted the study acknowledge that it's quite possible the dogs were responding this way because domesticated animals have been conditioned to expect rewards for showing compassion. However, dogs are rewarded for many different actions, and of all the responses tested, they were most drawn to expressions of sadness.
7. A Chimpanzee Mother and Sister Cared for a Baby with Down’s Syndrome
We often view nature as harsh and unyielding—a world where survival is reserved for the strongest, and the weak are left behind. Evolution suggests that the vulnerable are eliminated by the dominant, and that our inclination to protect the sick and elderly might be an anomaly in the natural world. But this isn't always the case.
In Tanzania, Japanese researchers observed something remarkable that they had never encountered before. A chimpanzee was caring for a baby chimp, which they noted appeared to exhibit “symptoms resembling Down’s syndrome.” The infant held its mouth open in an unusual way, struggled to support itself, and seemed to have a mental impairment.
The mother cared for her infant despite its difficulties, carrying her everywhere because the baby would fall without her assistance. The mother would also lift the child to her breast so it could feed. Interestingly, the chimpanzee’s sister also helped care for the baby whenever the mother needed to eat.
The sister played a significant role in the baby’s upbringing, becoming so integral that the mother relied on her. Just like humans, the chimpanzee mother required help to care for her child. When the older sister became pregnant and could no longer assist, the baby, unable to survive on its own, passed away.
6. Rats Protect One Another and Share Food
Rats often get a bad reputation. When someone betrays or steals from us, we might call them “a rat,” implying that anyone who takes advantage of others is as low as these creatures. But according to one study, rats might be much more empathetic than we tend to think.
In a research study, scientists placed rats in a setup where pulling a lever triggered two results: the rat would receive a reward of chocolate, but another rat would be subjected to drowning. The rat had to witness the rising water level of another rat in a separate cage and face a moral dilemma: Would the rat choose to accept a Hershey’s bar at the cost of another’s life?
The rats overwhelmingly chose not to pull the lever when they understood it would cause harm to another rat. Interestingly, those that had previously experienced near-drowning were even more inclined to protect the other rats. Having learned from their own traumatic experience, these rats were more empathetic and determined to prevent others from suffering the same fate.
5. A Pride of Lions Rescued a Girl in Ethiopia
In 2005, a 12-year-old girl near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was abducted and savagely beaten by seven men. The intention behind this horrifying act was to force her into marriage, a practice alarmingly common in the region. According to the United Nations, 70 percent of marriages in that area begin with the abduction, abuse, and coercion of young girls into marriage, often in remote wilderness areas.
The girl’s fate could have been the same as so many others, but it was changed by a remarkable intervention. When she began to cry, a pride of lions nearby heard her and immediately rushed to her aid. The lions attacked the men, forcing them to flee and saving her from being assaulted and trapped in a life of servitude.
However, the lions did even more than chase off the men. Rather than simply leaving after their attack, they stayed with the girl for over 12 hours. They guarded her, ensuring she remained safe in case the men returned, until her family eventually found her. Once her family arrived, the lions peacefully retreated into the jungle, leaving her unharmed and secure.
4. Koko Mourned Her Pet Cat
Koko, a highly intelligent gorilla, has an IQ ranging between 70 and 95, which puts her on par with some humans. She has learned around 2,000 words in sign language, allowing her to communicate with researchers in ways that feel remarkably human.
Koko’s love for cats became evident when her caretakers noticed that her favorite stories all involved them. In response, they gifted her a pet kitten, which she named “All Ball.” Koko grew incredibly fond of the kitten, spending an hour each day playing with it. She would play catch with the cat and even attempted to nurse it, showcasing her deep affection for her new companion.
One day, however, All Ball managed to slip out of the compound and wandered onto the highway, where she was tragically struck by a car. When the researchers broke the news to Koko, she was completely still and silent for an entire 10 minutes. Then, the gorilla began to cry, or rather, whimper—her natural way of expressing sorrow.
After processing the news, Koko mourned her kitten by signing, “Sleep, cat,” a simple yet profound eulogy for her beloved pet.
3. Macaques Will Refuse Food If It Hurts Another
The macaques faced a tough moral dilemma: they could either pull the chain and eat, or refrain and avoid causing harm to the other macaques. This experiment highlighted their sense of empathy, as they showed reluctance to pull the chain when it meant inflicting pain on others.
Even though it meant going without food, 87 percent of the macaques refused to pull the chain if they knew it would cause another macaque to suffer. In one remarkable case, a macaque went an entire two weeks without eating to avoid the guilt of hurting another.
This response is impressive, but it becomes even more remarkable when compared to a similar experiment conducted on humans. In this study, people were paid to pull a lever that supposedly shocked another person with electricity. The ‘victim’ was an actor who pretended to be in extreme pain each time the lever was pulled.
In the human experiment, 87 percent of participants pulled the lever all the way to a section labeled “Danger! Severe Shock!” even as they heard the actor scream in agony. All this was for a few dollars—money that they could have easily earned at a fast-food job.
2. Magpies Brought Grass For A Dead Companion
Dr. Marc Bekoff from the University of Colorado shares a touching story about a group of magpies. While riding his bike through Boulder, Colorado, he came across a dead magpie on the road, struck by a car. Around it were five other magpies, gathered and staring at the lifeless bird.
Initially, one of the magpies pecked at the body of the deceased, as if trying to rouse it from its stillness. Bekoff likens this action to the way elephants express sympathy for their deceased companions, though we can only speculate about the true meaning of the gesture.
However, the next part of the sequence seemed profoundly significant. One magpie flew away, returning with a piece of grass, which it placed next to the lifeless body as if offering it. Another magpie followed suit, bringing its own offering of grass and placing it by the side of the dead bird. After standing quietly for a few moments, the five magpies flew off, one by one.
While it’s open to interpretation, Bekoff believes this act was a form of empathetic mourning, a natural behavior designed to help the group remain united. And while this story may sound unbelievable, it has been documented in a video by at least one other observer.
1. Prairie Voles Offer Comfort to Each Other in Times of Stress
Prairie voles are truly affectionate creatures, known for forming lifelong bonds with their mates. Once a prairie vole finds its partner, they stay together, and both parents share the responsibility of raising their offspring. Remarkably, this mutual care extends to emotional support as well.
In one experiment, scientists set up a control group of voles that watched as another group was subjected to electric shocks. Afterward, when the two groups reunited, researchers observed that the voles who hadn’t been shocked would console the distressed ones by licking them.
The voles only seemed to comfort those they were familiar with, and they licked them more when they knew one of the group had been hurt. This led the researchers to conclude that this wasn’t merely grooming, but an act of emotional care.
The researchers took things further by blocking the voles’ oxytocin receptors, the chemicals believed to be behind human empathy. When the same experiment was repeated with this empathy blocked, the voles ceased to comfort each other. This indicates that a genuine chemical response was motivating their nurturing behavior.
