Animal Gift-Giving

Thursday, 26 December, 2024132 words2 minutes
Gift-giving isn't just a human trait - many animals engage in this behavior too! In the insect world, males often present females with food during courtship. For example, male scorpionflies offer 'nuptial gifts' of saliva to attract mates. Some spiders wrap prey in silk as presents, while others even sacrifice parts of their own bodies.
Birds also participate in gift-giving. Male great grey shrikes impress potential mates by displaying small creatures on thorns. Even more remarkably, intelligent birds like crows and Eurasian jays give gifts simply to please others or strengthen social bonds.
Surprisingly, our closest relatives, bonobos, have been observed sharing food with strangers in acts of apparent kindness. This diverse range of gift-giving behaviors across species suggests that the practice serves important evolutionary and social functions in the animal kingdom.
Original News
Animal Gift-Giving

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Words

  • courtship
  • nuptial
  • sacrifice
  • evolutionary

Quiz

  1. 1. What do male scorpionflies offer as gifts?

  2. 2. Why do some animals give gifts even when not seeking a mate?