Altruism and Civilization

When a student asked famous anthropologist Margaret Mead what she thought was the first sign of civilization in a culture, Mead cited not pottery shards or tools, but an ancient thighbone that had been broken and healed.

Mead explained that an animal with a broken leg is likely to die because it can’t run from predators or hunt for food. A broken femur that has healed is evidence that someone has bound the wound, carried the injured to safety and stayed with them while they recovered.

Mead was correct, of course, that someone had taken care of this being, and that an injured wild animal is likely to die. Unless … What if one of its own was there to protect it, comfort it and bring it food until it can walk, fly or swim away? We now know that wild and domestic animals are capable of expressing acts of great altruism, empathy and protectiveness.

A February 2016 issue of Nautilus included stories about a robin with a broken wing whose mate stayed with him and fed him through the winter, and a male pigeon who roosted on a porch railing while his mate recovered from a leg injury inside the rescuer’s apartment.

Elephants slow down if a member of their herd is injured and can’t keep up. They’re also known to help dying members of their herd by lifting them up with their trunks while bellowing in distress. Others who hear the distress calls also come and stroke them with their trunks to comfort them. When predators are near, elephants protect the young, old and ill by circling around them or by tucking the small ones under their bodies.

When bison sense that a vulnerable member of their herd is being preyed upon or threatened, they form two rings of protection — an inner ring of females, and an outer ring of males. The threat of their horns and powerful hooves is often enough to make a predator think twice about attacking.

Whales and dolphins also circle around the vulnerable ones to form rings of defense — and they aren’t afraid to “punch” predators (including sharks) with their powerful snouts.

In 2011, diver and cinematographer Patrick Dykstra observed how mother sperm whales enlist a member of the pod to watch over their calves while they dive into the depths to feed. Decades ago, masses of sperm whales were harpooned and killed by men in fishing boats.

Dykstra explained that whale societies are extremely close-knit, and when one is hurt, the others come to its aid. Consequently, when one member of a pod was harpooned the others came to help, thus becoming easy targets themselves.

During rescue operations after the 2023 earthquakes in Turkey/Syria, a mother dog found trapped but alive underneath rubble had stayed with her newborn pups despite there being an escape route she could have taken to save herself.

In his book, “Love, Miracles, and Animal Healing,” veterinarian Alan Schoen writes about his Golden Retriever, Megan, whom he rescued as a stray and healed from a serious case of heartworm disease. In his clinic, Megan became a frequent blood donor for other sick and injured animals, following Schoen into the clinic, sitting down and raising a paw before Schoen had even prepared for the procedure.

In Raleigh, N.C., an orange-tabby cat named Russell was badly burned in a house fire in 2015. Russell’s injuries demanded he stay at the clinic, where he became the Ambassador of Comfort for other sick and injured animals. Russell purposefully sought out and comforted dogs, cats and even an orphaned fawn. Bandaged up himself, Russell would lie down next to them and offer his healing energy.

Many years ago, my cat, Sophie, went into heat days before she was to be spayed. Sophie was miserable until my older female, Oyate, who had despised Sophie from the start, curled up around her and stayed with her all night (something which never happened again!)

When siblings, Steven and Trinket, were neutered and spayed, Steven didn’t skip a beat, but Trinket was miserable. When she crawled under a rocking chair, Steven crawled under with her, wrapped his body around hers and the two stayed there sleeping all night.

“Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilization starts,” Margaret Mead said.

She also believed the value we put on a life is reflected in how much effort we put into caring for that life. If that’s true, then we must acknowledge that animals do value life, for they too put much care and attention into raising and protecting it.

(Colleen Dougherty is a writer, educator, artist and behavioral health therapist. Her 20-plus years in animal welfare include jobs and volunteer work in veterinary clinics, animal shelters and TNR organizations. She has been a speaker at the New Mexico State Humane Conference and the National LINK Conference in Albuquerque, holds degrees in art and counseling therapy, and graduate certificates in eco psychology and humane education. Her passion is building joyful and respectful relationships between animals, humans, and the Earth. She began writing Paw it Forward in March 2016.)