Crows, mammals grieve over loved ones' death just as humans do

A new book has claimed that crows and other animals grieve over death of their loved ones just as humans do.

According to 'Flight Ways, Life and Loss at the Edge of Extinction', which is about people's attitudes towards the biggest mass extinction for 65 million years, researchers argue that the idea of "human exceptionalism" - that people feel a range of emotions while animals do not - has damaged our attitude towards the environment.

Scientists have increasingly discovered that animals are capable of actions and thoughts once thought to be the preserve of humans, such as the use of tools, showing empathy to another creature and being able to convey complex ideas using sound.

According to Australian anthropologist and philosopher Thom Van Dooren, there is now "very good evidence to suggest that crows and a number of other mammals grieve for their dead" and it's clear from observations of different species around the world that crows do mourn for other crows, they notice their deaths, and those deaths have an impact on them.