18. Comparisons with Other Species
Traditionally, rescue behaviors—like aiding distressed or unconscious companions—have been closely associated with socially complex animals such as primates and dolphins.
Observing such sophisticated, targeted actions in mice challenges long-held assumptions about rodent intelligence and sociality.
This discovery positions mice in the company of animals once thought uniquely capable of empathy and cooperation.
For more on the remarkable social intelligence of non-human animals, consult the analysis in National Geographic.