Humans love watching other animals, and it’s for that reason that we have African safaris that bring us closer to wildlife, zoos, and similar activities and venues. We seem to have an innate desire that makes us want to cross the existential barrier separating us from other living creatures. But why do we like watching other animals? Is there a scientific reason for it? One theory has suggested that we see in the animals a reflection of ourselves, especially when we watch primates. As a rule, we’re naturally curious and even the most base of us seek to understand the other living beings around us and seek out new experiences.
It’s this tendency that’s kept our species alive in a world where we’ve actually very vulnerable without the benefit of weaponry, and it has contributed to the evolution of our species. But when it comes to watching apes and monkeys, we’re fascinated with them in part because many of their mannerisms and habits remind us of ourselves. We love it when an ape or chimpanzee mimics us and it’s fun to see them do things we see as typical human behavior. Science says that humans share more than 98% of their DNA with primates, and we may have had a common evolutionary ancestor.
So it’s not only fun to watch these intelligent creatures, but watching them can also give us insights into ourselves. We’re voyeuristic, for one thing, and we like to watch other people. While most of us won’t blatantly stare at another person becuase it’s not socially acceptable, we consider it OK for some reason to stare at primates and monkeys. Sometimes the primates don’t appreciate it and countless YouTube videos prove that. However, recently an orangutan at the Colchester Zoo didn’t mind a visit from humans, and in fact, got quite emotional when it saw that a woman was pregnant.
YouTube
When the woman and her husband were viewing the orangutan, they began to notice that the ape was staring at the pregnant woman’s belly. The woman moved closer and pulled up her shirt, and as she stood there, the orangutan came closer, reaching out to stroke her belly through the glass. As he did so, a tear ran down his face. This video and similar videos prove that the link between humans and animals is stronger than many people realize. Watch below.
