Do wild animals know it when you saved their life?

[Markbnj]

I think they probably do, but we don't know what that means to them, or how they perceive it. Herd animals will sometimes help each other, so they at least have some concept of "needs aid" and "help."

 

[JMapleton]

Cool videos, but I think too often people mistakenly add complex human emotions to animals.

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

Cool videos, but I think too often people mistakenly add complex human emotions to animals.

And often people attribute complex emotions to humans that are basically just selfish little bastards.

(See also: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2386271)

 

[DanTMWTMP]

http://www.radiolab.org/story/91701-animal-minds/ Interesting story of a group of dudes who went to save a whale. Well worth the listen if you have the time.

Here's a link to another rescue, where the whale responds after freeing another whale.
http://www.radiolab.org/story/149761-whale-saying-thank-you/

 

[silverpig]

Yeah I just saw a video..I just googled it.

This orca is has fish net on it's fins and allows a boat full of people to cut it off. It's so happy that it jumps out of the water making those huge splashes, it does it over and over.

http://youtu.be/tcXU7G6zhjU

That's a humpback whale, not an orca.

 

[bononos]

There was another video where a cop saved a pitbull that was stuck on a fence. The dog ran away as soon as it was freed....when the cop walked back into his car only to find the dog sat in the passenger seat.

Then again, dogs know human.

I remembered the episode from animal cops.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vm1Zr1byAbQ

 

[Northern Lawn]

That's a humpback whale, not an orca.

At least i didn't call it a big fish.

 

[NFS4]

Nope