Animal Communications Part 1(Series15)
- Marika
- Jan 26
- 3 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
This first part of series 15 explores the many ways humans and other animals try to understand one another — from shared signs and gestures, to the scientific language we use to describe animals, to the intuitive connections some people believe allow us to communicate across species. We look at what “communication” really means, how it shapes our relationships with animals, and what happens when we start listening more closely to the beings who share our world.
In this first episode of series 15, I talk with Dr. Mary Lee Jensvold of the Fauna Foundation about the remarkable world of chimpanzee communication and the ethical questions that come with it. We explore the legacy of Washoe, the first chimpanzee to learn human signs, the cross‑fostering experiments that shaped early research, and how chimps use gestures and cultural dialects in their own communities. We also discuss the challenges former pets face when transitioning to sanctuary life, the evolving landscape of chimpanzee research, and the ongoing efforts to provide lifelong care for chimps like Tatu and Loulis.
Book Recommendation: Next of Kin: My Conversations with Chimpanzees (Living Planet Book) By Roger Fouts
In episode 2 I talk with Dr. Nuno Henrique Franco about the language we use to describe animals in research and how those words shape our perceptions, policies, and ethical decisions. We explore why terms like “laboratory animal,” “model,” “subject,” “sentient,” and even “euthanasia” carry so much weight, and how scientific and legal language influences the way society understands animal use. Nuno shares examples of how terminology can obscure meaning, reveal bias, or shift public attitudes, and we discuss how changing language reflects — and sometimes drives — cultural and ethical change in the world of animal research.
Book Recommendations: The book, animal Ethics and Animal Research by Helena Röcklinsberg, Mickey Gjerris, I. Anna S. Olsson and Putting The Horse Before Descartes by Bernard Rolands
In Episode 3...We delve into intuitive animal communication with pet psychic and healer Maribeth Decker. She explains how energy and connection facilitate communication between humans and animals. Maribeth shares insights from her journey, experiences with her late dogs in spirit, and how she helps pet guardians connect with their animals' emotional and spiritual worlds. The discussion includes addressing common questions about animal communication, the importance of understanding animals' needs, and the role intuition plays in deepening human-animal bonds. Dive into this thought-provoking episode that challenges conventional views and encourages open-mindedness towards scientifically unexplained experiences.
Book Recommendations: Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home: And Other Unexplained Powers of Animals by Rupert Sheldrake.
The New Year Special: 136. The Future of Scientific Ethics: Trust and Transparency in Animal Research with Dr. Nuno Henrique Franco
2025 was described as a pivotal year for global progress towards replacing non-human animal research, especially in Europe and the US as both the US and the UK have recently announced major changes in how animals can be used in research. So this well placed episode continues our conversation with Dr. Franco and helps us to ponder...If animals are similar enough to us that we rely on them for our own medical progress, then when do we reckon with what that similarity means ethically. We can’t claim likeness when it serves us and difference when it doesn’t.
Thank you for joining me. As we ask the question, what's the deal with animals?
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