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Originally Posted by teevee
I wouldn't argue that this isn't a unique and perhaps "higher level" activity, but as shown by Koko's experience with the kitten, this interest in other living things is quite natural, and our concern for other species does not indicate we are somehow special.
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I disagree, I feel that the primate examples only demonstrate how powerful the adaptive phenomenon of maternal instinct is. I think it is reasonable that a captive gorilla, wanting to have children would accept and nurture and care for a cat. The point is "are gorrilas as a species (not isolated incidents) as concerned with our well being as we are with theirs? Also the story of the boy that was rescued by the gorrila at the zoo. I think that that story would have turned out a lot differently if the enclosure was full of only males. Or females with their children. Or if the fallee didn't have the good furtune of being bipedal, having opposable thumbs, and bearing a close resemblance to the gorilla herself. I don't think that the recently childless female gorilla would have cared so much for a dolphin that fell into her enclosure.
- Chad