How laughter connects us across species
The giggles, the wheezing, the tears, the silent-buckled-over-cackles, the hold-on-to-your-bladder for dear life – these are all signs you’ve been exposed to a contagious condition humans know as laughter. It’s one of the best and the most natural impulses in humans and social evolution. But what about wildlife? Do they get the giggles? Do their bellies shake like a bowl of jelly when they laugh? Let’s find out.
The short answer is yes, but not how one might think. A recent UCLA study says that there are 65 species of animals that laugh! The study combed through existing literature on animal play behaviour and looked for mentions of vocal play signals and found that a variety of primates, cows, dogs, foxes, seals and several bird species seem to laugh.
Many previous studies focused on visual play; vocal signals are shown to be more widespread!
The study noted that much of what is considered “play” can resemble fighting – the rough and tumble – and play sounds can help distinguish between the two. A.k.a. “This is playtime, I’m not going to actually bite you” sounds to help the interaction not escalate into real aggression. What do these sound like? The study states that it varied, and sounds were categorized as either noisy or tonal, loud or quiet, high or low-pitched, short or long, a single call or rhythmic pattern. Diverse play vocalizations can sound like chuckles, chatters, squeals and peeps in some animals, while in others laughter isn’t audible to human ears and vocalizations are ultrasonic.
You’re really here because you want to hear some animals laugh. But let’s get something clear – many of the examples below have videos of wildlife species domesticated in wildlife rescue centres or in zoos and carried out by trained wildlife care professionals.
Petting wild animals is something you should never do – not in the wild, not at home.
Funny Foxes
Foxes really do sound like little kids giggling when happy and excited. Head on over to YouTube and simply search “Foxes laughing” to hear for yourself!
Chuckling Prairie Dogs
Prairie Dogs have a wide range of vocals, one specifically that resembles a chuckle, but this one is used to sound off an alert. Instead, it’s been documented they make a raspy purr sound when happy.
Squealing Whales and Dolphins
Whales and Dolphins make squealing sounds when happy. These species are known to be playful and have displayed different vocalizations that vary from whistles, echolocation clicks, jaw claps and more. In 2004, researchers in Sweden observed dolphins making sounds not previously documented consisting of short bursts of pulses followed by a whistle.
Looney Loons
Loons also make a variety of sounds categorized from the wail, tremolo, yodel, and hoot. The hoot being the sound that is associated with curiosity and/or happiness.
Laughing Lynx
Lynx purr when happy. This was discovered with Max Lynx, who was born in a zoo and brought to a wildlife centre.
Laughter, “play vocalization” was previously considered as something only humans do, but as you can see it’s a shared behaviour and communication tactic with other species to signal enjoyment and invite others to join in.
Have you observed wildlife species display playfulness and “play vocalization”? Please tell us in the comments below!
Jerika Bradford
Jerika is the Social and Digital Media Manager at the Canadian Wildlife Federation. When she’s not planning her next big adventure, you can find her outdoors with her trusted Labrador Retriever sidekick, Brynn, or indoors piecing together her family ancestry.
