不同尋常的動(dòng)物友誼的力量

不同尋常的動(dòng)物友誼的力量

We know that sometimes animals have unlikely friendships. Whether it's circumstances that throw them together or they just happen to find a friend from another species, animals will occasionally become pals, creating an unconventional alliance.

我們知道，動(dòng)物有時(shí)會(huì)有不太可能的友誼。無(wú)論是環(huán)境把它們放在一起，還是它們碰巧從另一個(gè)物種找到了一個(gè)朋友，動(dòng)物們會(huì)偶爾成為朋友，形成一個(gè)非傳統(tǒng)的聯(lián)盟。

These unusual relationships cause a certain amount of double-takes — and they're often incredibly adorable — but there's also a scientific benefit to studying odd animal friendships.

這些不尋常的關(guān)系會(huì)讓人產(chǎn)生一定程度的懷疑——它們通常都是非常可愛(ài)的——但研究奇怪的動(dòng)物友誼也有科學(xué)上的好處。

“There’s no question that studying these relationships can give you some insight into the factors that go into normal relationships,” Gordon Burghardt, a professor in the departments of psychology and ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Tennessee, told The New York Times.

“毫無(wú)疑問(wèn)，研究這些關(guān)系可以讓你深入了解正常關(guān)系中的一些因素，”田納西大學(xué)心理、生態(tài)和進(jìn)化生物學(xué)系教授戈登·伯格哈特在接受《紐約時(shí)報(bào)》采訪時(shí)表示。

An African elephant and a giraffe have become unlikely pals due to the confines of a zoo. (Photo: Glass and Nature/Shutterstock)

Cross-species bonds typically occur in young animals, and they're also common among captive animals that have no choice but to seek each other out.

跨物種的結(jié)合通常發(fā)生在年輕的動(dòng)物身上，在被圈養(yǎng)的動(dòng)物身上也很常見(jiàn)，它們別無(wú)選擇，只能互相尋找。

“I think the choices animals make in cross-species relationships are the same as they’d make in same-species relationships," Marc Bekoff, professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, told Slate. "Some dogs don’t like every other dog. Animals are very selective about the other individuals who they let into their lives.”

“我認(rèn)為動(dòng)物在跨物種關(guān)系中做出的選擇與它們?cè)谕N關(guān)系中做出的選擇是一樣的，”科羅拉多大學(xué)生態(tài)學(xué)和進(jìn)化生物學(xué)名譽(yù)教授馬克·貝科夫告訴《Slate》雜志。“有些狗不喜歡其他所有的狗。動(dòng)物對(duì)進(jìn)入它們生活的其他個(gè)體非常挑剔。”

And when predator and prey become buddies, that requires serious trust from the animal on the prey end, Bekoff points out.

Bekoff指出，當(dāng)捕食者和獵物成為伙伴時(shí)，這需要獵物的高度信任。

The polar bears at SeaWorld San Diego in happier times. (Photo: samantha celera [CC BY-ND 2.0]/Flickr)

Animal friendships — whether in their own species or outside — can be very meaningful. Consider the story of Szenja, a 21-year-old polar bear who died at SeaWorld San Diego in mid-April after an unexplained illness including loss of appetite and energy, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. Szenja had recently been separated from her long-time companion, Snowflake, who had been sent to the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium for a breeding visit. The pair had been together for 20 years. The polar bears made headlines in March when more than 55,000 people signed a petition not to separate the "best friends."

動(dòng)物的友誼——在自己的物種之外,是否可以非常有意義。考慮Szenja的故事,據(jù)《圣地亞哥聯(lián)盟-論壇報(bào)》報(bào)道，一名21歲的北極熊在4月中旬在圣地亞哥死于無(wú)法解釋的疾病，包括食欲和精力的喪失。Szenja最近與她的長(zhǎng)期伴侶雪花分離，后者被送到匹茲堡動(dòng)物園和PPG水族館進(jìn)行繁殖訪問(wèn)。兩人共同生活了20年。3月份，北極熊登上了頭條，超過(guò)5.5萬(wàn)人在請(qǐng)?jiān)笗虾灻?，要求不要?ldquo;最好的朋友”分開。

In a statement, PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Remain said Szenja died of a broken heart.

在一份聲明中，善待動(dòng)物組織執(zhí)行副總裁特雷西·萊梅說(shuō)，Szenja死于心碎。

Here's a look at some animal odd couples that have forged lasting bonds.

下面就讓我們來(lái)看看一些動(dòng)物情侶吧，他們已經(jīng)建立了長(zhǎng)久的關(guān)系。

A llama nuzzles its sheep friend. (Photo: Katriona McCarthy [CC BY 2.0]/Flickr)

This squirrel and wren are backyard BFFs. (Photo: Bonnie Taylor Barry/Shutterstock)

A pigeon hangs out with its rabbit friends. (Photo: Marina2811/Shutterstock)