Are Animals Aware Of Their Own Mortality?

[Mercurial]

I'd really like your opinions on this...

Are they aware that they're going to die? And, if so, in what way?

[Trev32]

I don't think they conciouslly know whats going to happen.  I don't beleive that they really think about it that much.

Because, well, to actualy think, wouldn't they need language?  Or is their something I'm inable to comprehend here?

[Jamestwilliams]

Higher mammals are absolutely aware of their mortality. Ever seen elephants around remains of other elephants, they are very aware. I think saying that animals don't think is a bit presumptuous don't you agree. They have language wether it's verbal or otherwise, dolphins produce thousands of distinct sounds, to compare our words only contain a couple hundred distinct sounds.

[Mercurial]

Higher mammals are absolutely aware of their mortality. Ever seen elephants around remains of other elephants, they are very aware. I think saying that animals don't think is a bit presumptuous don't you agree. They have language wether it's verbal or otherwise, dolphins produce thousands of distinct sounds, to compare our words only contain a couple hundred distinct sounds.

Just curious, and not sure if you know the answer...but are the elephants aware that they will die...or are they just aware that they could die?

[Terrence]

I surely don't know the answer to this one and I can't imagine how someone could test that.
It is interesting to know, that's for sure..

[Jamestwilliams]

I think it's better to assume that they do without evidence one way or the other. As some animals have displayed near human intelligence.

[Mercurial]

I guess we really will never know, good to think about though...

[Johan]

I think most of them probably do know. Why else would the prey run from the predator? If it was unaware of the possibility that it might die it would have nothing to fear, and thus no reason to run… right?

[TruthSeeker20]

Thats actualy a really good question are animals aware or do they just act on instinct.  Other than humans animals lives only consist of Eating, sleeping, and mating... and all those things are instinctive,  are they any animals that do things other than those three?

[Mercurial]

I think most of them probably do know. Why else would the prey run from the predator? If it was unaware of the possibility that it might die it would have nothing to fear, and thus no reason to run… right?

That's what I asked myself as well, but then again it could be because it knows it'll get hurt. I actually would compare it to a child crying for a bottle, it knows it doesn't feel good when it's hungry but does it know it'll eventually die?