<ol>
<li>Empathy (exists because cooperation can lead to better survival chances)</li>
<li>Elephants, apes (chimpanzee), donkeys. </li>
<li>Dolphins at least see <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathy#Evolution" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathy#Evolution</a></li>
</ol>

<p><a href="https://books.google.ch/books?hl=en&amp;lr=&amp;id=tNaTfIlMh8wC&amp;oi=fnd&amp;pg=PP1&amp;dq=empathy+death+animal&amp;ots=2J8RPQfOy3&amp;sig=BJuNrb4k7JtiVAFqmWEbeZjiFB8#v=onepage&amp;q=dolphin&amp;f=false" rel="nofollow">https://books.google.ch/books?hl=en&amp;lr=&amp;id=tNaTfIlMh8wC&amp;oi=fnd&amp;pg=PP1&amp;dq=empathy+death+animal&amp;ots=2J8RPQfOy3&amp;sig=BJuNrb4k7JtiVAFqmWEbeZjiFB8#v=onepage&amp;q=dolphin&amp;f=false</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-19T18:54:11.620Z
2015-02-19T19:05:24.230Z
2015-02-19T19:05:24.230Z
CuriousIndeed
<ol>
<li>Why do we sympathize in general when we see something or someone dying even if we personally don't know it/them?</li>
<li>Is there any species other than humans which sympathize with the death of its own species?</li>
<li>Is there any species other than humans which sympathize with the death of other species?</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-20T12:14:15.620Z
interesting question. I can say that elephants are known to stop when passing by the carcasses of diseased elephants +1
AliceD
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-20T12:15:04.143Z
Wow, didn't know that!
One Face
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-20T12:16:10.620Z
National Geographic knowledge mind you, but I might be able to find a reference if need be.
AliceD
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-20T12:40:37.530Z
In addition, there's a lot of work on empathy in monkeys and apes by Frans de Waal. Not exactly on death as such, but I think your question can be boiled down to empathy.
AliceD
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-20T13:43:25.087Z
Seconding @ChrisStronks' elephant knowledge (although I suspect he means deceased, not diseased), and curious to hear if anybody has data about Q3.
Krysta
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-20T13:50:51.640Z
@Kristal - deceased yes :)
AliceD
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-19T18:37:14.643Z
https://books.google.ch/books?hl=en&lr=&id=tNaTfIlMh8wC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=empathy+death+animal&ots=2J8RPQfOy3&sig=BJuNrb4k7JtiVAFqmWEbeZjiFB8#v=onepage&q=death&f=false
CuriousIndeed
<animal-cognition><health-psychology>
Psychology of Sympathizing with Death
One Face
# Psychology of Sympathizing with Death

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-01-20)

1. Why do we sympathize in general when we see something or someone dying even if we personally don't know it/them?
2. Is there any species other than humans which sympathize with the death of its own species?
3. Is there any species other than humans which sympathize with the death of other species?

**Tags:** animal-cognition, health-psychology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: interesting question. I can say that elephants are known to stop when passing by the carcasses of diseased elephants +1  
> **username_0**: Wow, didn't know that!  
> **username_1**: National Geographic knowledge mind you, but I might be able to find a reference if need be.  
> **username_1**: In addition, there's a lot of work on empathy in monkeys and apes by Frans de Waal. Not exactly on death as such, but I think your question can be boiled down to empathy.  
> **username_2**: Seconding @ChrisStronks' elephant knowledge (although I suspect he means deceased, not diseased), and curious to hear if anybody has data about Q3.  
> **username_1**: @Kristal - deceased yes :)  
> **username_3**: https://books.google.ch/books?hl=en&lr=&id=tNaTfIlMh8wC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=empathy+death+animal&ots=2J8RPQfOy3&sig=BJuNrb4k7JtiVAFqmWEbeZjiFB8#v=onepage&q=death&f=false  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-02-19. Score: 1

1. Empathy (exists because cooperation can lead to better survival chances)
2. Elephants, apes (chimpanzee), donkeys.
3. Dolphins at least see <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathy#Evolution>

<https://books.google.ch/books?hl=en&lr=&id=tNaTfIlMh8wC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=empathy+death+animal&ots=2J8RPQfOy3&sig=BJuNrb4k7JtiVAFqmWEbeZjiFB8#v=onepage&q=dolphin&f=false>


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