Show 17: The Amazing Animal-Human Connection, with Carl SafinaToday’s GuestCARL SAFINA - Ecologist, Author, and Advocate for Planet Earth

My guest today is Carl Safina, leading ecologist, author, and advocate for all living things. He’s written numerous insightful books exploring our human relationships with the living world, and how we can make it better.

Carl has worked with elephants, whales, macaws, chimpanzees, and even raised a raccoon who showed a similar connection with us that our own pets do! 

If you’ve ever wondered if you’re anthropomorphizing your pets (attributing human emotions and feelings to animals) then Carl’s take on this may leave you pleasantly surprised! 

Let’s find out what our dogs are REALLY THINKING!

You’ll Hear About: 

• [5:05] How a dog mourned the passing of a family chicken
• [8:15] The parrot who escaped on the back of a dog
• [9:30] A dog’s concept of death 
• [11:38] One dog’s amazing response when a packmate passed.
• [21:53] Whether dogs dream
• [24:44] When anthropomorphizing is spot on
• [26:50] The science of observing an animal’s behavior versus assigning an imagined reason for the behaviour.
• [31:45] How dogs love
• [37:28] The indoor raccoon who knew when it was about to put outside.
• [40:30] How dogs read our subtle and unintentional cues

Links & Resources

Jack’s behavior when Peanut passed: https://theonlinedogtrainer.com/a-dogs-amazing-ability-to-understand-life-and-death/

Website: https://www.carlsafina.org/  https://www.safinacenter.org/

Facebook:  Carl Safina https://www.facebook.com/CarlSafinaAuthor/

Instagram: @csafina, @safinacenter

Twitter: @carlsafina, @safinacenter

Youtube: Among Carl’s many informative and intriguing YouTube videos, this Ted Talk is pretty cool:  What Animals are Thinking and Feeling, and Why it Should Matter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wkdH_wluhw