Animal Talk

15 Animal Talk Do animals communicate with each other? This question came to my mind the other day while I was sitting outside. I heard some birds making what sounded like a distress call. I looked around and saw a cat crouched low in the grass, ready to pounce on the birds. But the cat was too late. The birds suddenly flew to safety. The loud calls had alerted them to the danger. I did some research and, to my amazement, I learned that all animals communicate. They don't use language, but they do send signals and messages to each other. I learned that animals communicate with each other in three main ways: through sounds, smells, and body language. The alarm call is one way that sounds are used for communication. When a predator is near, animals send out a warning sound. Those who hear it run to safety, hide, or gather to fight the invader. Birds sing beautiful songs to attract mates during breeding season. Dogs bark and growl to show other animals how they're feeling. Cats purr to demonstrate that they are comfortable and feel safe.

Whales are well known for their ability to communicate over large distances with complex vocal sounds. Humans don't understand the meaning of these sounds, but in their own social groups, whales understand what they're saying to each other. Smell is another popular method of animal communi- cation. Simple animals such as the single-celled amoeba release a chemical that other amoebae recognize as a signal for reproduction. Some animals send out a strong smell to warn other animals to stay away from them. For example, skunks release a terrible odour when they feel threatened. There are many examples of animals that use body language to communicate. Chimpanzees touch hands when they meet. When angry, gorillas stick out their tongues. Think of a happy dog wagging its tail. Even humans under- stand this form of dog body language. Humans have developed a complex system to communicate with each other, using words and sentences. But if you observe other animals for a while, you quickly come to appreciate that they too have ways of getting their messages across.