Arlet et al. (2025) proposes a framework to study primate thanatology, addressing the need for standardized methods. It emphasizes individual responses to conspecific death using clear behavioral variables.
Link: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1...

#PrimateThanatology #EvolutionaryThanatology

Responses of mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) to deceased infants - Primates Studying nonhuman primates’ responses to the death of conspecifics has gained growing interest in comparative thanatology providing wider evolutionary context for our understanding of human responses ...

New paper by Munyawera et al. (2025) analyzes 141 infant deaths over 21.7 years of observation in mountain gorillas.60.5% of mothers engage in infant corpse carrying (ICC), with an average duration of 4.9 days.
Link: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

#PrimateThanatology #deadinfantcarrying

Attademo et al. report 25 years of parental & epimeletic behavior in captive manatees. Findings reveal complex maternal care, cooperative female caregiving, adoption of orphaned calves, and care toward deceased calves by two females and a male. Link: doi.org/10.1016/j.ap...
#comparativethanatology

All four members of the I4 matriline surrounded by a group of Pacific white-sided dolphins during I76's final moments at the surface. I76 is visible beneath the surface in the bottom left of the frame. Photo: Jared Towers.

Kotik & Towers document the rare, closely witnessed decline and final hours of adult male orca whale , including interactions with Pacific white-sided dolphins, humpbacks, and the attentive presence of his kin.
Access link here: doi.org/10.1111/mms....
#epimeleticbehaviour #comparativethanatology

Van Oosten et al. (2025) review how signs of depression appear in primates, proposing diagnostic criteria requiring a core symptom (depressed mood or anhedonia). Several signs occur naturally, often after maternal loss or social separation. Link: peerj.com/articles/187...
#animalgrief #depression

Several images depicting: a solitary Bryde’s whale spy-hopping near the carcass screening the water surface for intruders; a distressed whale sliding in and out of the water; and repeated blowing around the drifting carcass.

Benjamin et al. report a group of Bryde’s whales repeatedly surfacing, circling, and closely inspecting a deceased adult pod member over several days, marking the first documented case of such thanatological responses in these baleen whales. Link: doi.org/10.20944/pre...
#epimeleticbehavior

Le chagrin des animaux : mythe ou réalité ? - Regarder le documentaire complet | ARTE Que ressentent les animaux face à la mort de leurs congénères, et qu’en comprennent-ils ? À travers des exemples passionnants, une exploration d’un champ d’études en plein essor : la thanatologie anim...

In 2024, my colleagues and I organized the @evothan symposium, bringing together experts in comparative thanatology from around the world.
At the time, a French documentary team captured many of us in action: now available to watch here (w/ Eng subtitles): www.arte.tv/fr/videos/11...

#animalgrief

Tong et al. show that losing a pair-bonded partner alters CRF receptor levels in the coyote brain, in olfactory, hippocampal, and amygdala regions, highlighting neurobiological effects of grief in long-lived monogamous mammals. Paper: doi.org/10.1016/j.ne...
#animalgrief #postmortembrainmapping

Behavioral responses of black snub‐nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus strykeri) near conspecific Carcass No. 1 (deceased adult female) on 14 November 2019, at Pianma region, Lushui City, Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China. (A) Hugging between OMU members and occasionally looking at carcass from middle strata ~ 25 m away; (B) looking at carcass and vigilant scanning of surroundings; (C) alarm calling; (D) teeth chattering and threatening toward individuals from another OMU as they approached the carcass. Photos taken by Pu Liu and Yixin Chen.

Chen et al. report thanatological responses in black snub-nosed monkeys, including revisiting and guarding deceased companions, alarm calls, and social partner hugging, alongside some scavenging by local carnivores. Access paper here: doi.org/10.1002/ajp....

#primatethanatology #cameratraps

Reviving-like prosocial behavior in response to unconscious or dead conspecifics in rodents Whereas humans exhibit emergency responses to assist unconscious individuals, how nonhuman animals react to unresponsive conspecifics is less well understood. We report that mice exhibit stereotypic b...

Sun et al. show that mice exhibit reviving-like behaviors toward unconscious or dead conspecifics, escalating from sniffing to licking and tongue-pulling, which can aid recovery and are driven by oxytocin. Open-access paper here: doi.org/10.1126/scie...

#comparativethanatology #epimeleticbehavior

Ricci-Bonot et al. report that horses show grief-like behavioral changes after the death of a conspecific: altered interactions, arousal, and vigilance, persisting for month when bonds were strong or death was witnessed. Paper here: doi.org/10.1016/j.ap...

#comparativethanatology #animalgrief

Fig. 1 Locomotor adjustments by the mother during corpse-carrying. a) Irene moving bipedally on a branch with the corpse; b) Fire (in rigor mortis), draped across a branch, while Irene self-grooms; c) Fire left on the branch, while Irene is foraging

Delval et al. report a primiparous capuchin mother carrying and caring for her dead infant, maintaining contact most of the time while other group members observed, suggesting coping strategies in response to the loss. Paper here: doi.org/10.1007/s103...

#primatethanatology #deadinfantcarrying

An unrelated 2-year-old female grooming Pet87’s corpse (14:17, December 6, 1999). She was a probable grooming partner before Pet87’s death, as her mother was one of his confirmed grooming partners

Nakamichi & Yamada observed Japanese macaques’ reactions to dying and dead adult companions.Most avoided individuals with maggots, but others with strong social bonds sometimes remained nearby/groomed the deceased. Open-access paper here: doi.org/10.1007/s103...
#comparativethanatology #socialbonds

8 camera trap stills depicting chimpanzees carrying dead infants in several states of decomposition.

Bersacola et al. used camera traps to document infant corpse carrying (ICC) in multiple unhabituated chimpanzee populations, with carrying durations up to 28 days. Showing camera traps as a great tool for studying rare behaviors: doi.org/10.1002/ece3...

#comparativethanatology #deadinfantcarrying

Aerial shot of 16 beluga whales swimming in close proximity to a dead calf.

Hudson & Watt observed wild beluga whales’ reactions to a dead calf, documenting up to 16 individuals exhibiting approaching and remaining near the carcass. Full article here: doi.org/10.1111/mms....

#comparativethanatology #epimeleticbehavior

4 images depicting a leopard seal stationing around her dead calf on an iceberg.

Sperou et al. document rare postmortem attentive behavior in leopard seals, including a female that cared for her deceased pup for up to 20 days — the longest case recorded in pinnipeds. Full article: doi.org/10.1007/s003...

#comparativethanatology #epimeleticbehavior

Macaque mothers’ responses to the deaths of their infants Abstract. Although it is understood that all humans grieve the death of close social partners, little empirical research has addressed animals’ responses t

Johnson et al. show that bereaved rhesus macaque mothers spent less time resting than non-bereaved controls after their infants’ deaths, contrary to predictions of reduced activity or lethargy. Full open-access study here: doi.org/10.1098/rsbl...

#comparativethanatology #animalgrief

Comparative Thanatology Highlights — 2025 Edition.
See the thread below for this year’s standout publications.

#comparativethanatology