Part 2 of 3: Do Animals Feel Anger?
- Teju Vishwamitra
- Nov 15
- 3 min read
Do wild animals experience “anger” as we humans do? Yes, indeed they do. But this “anger” in wild or even domestic animals needs a bit of explaining.
When we observe aggressive behavior in an animal, it is easy to assume they are feeling "anger" similar to a human. This is known as anthropomorphism. However, animal emotions differ in significant ways:
The Difference Between Animal and Human Emotion
Neurological complexity: Human emotions are filtered through a highly developed frontal lobe, which creates complex connections between different emotional states. In contrast, a dog's strong emotion is like a "sudden thunderstorm" that passes quickly, not leaving a lasting connection to the situation or person who caused it.
Subjective feelings: While we can observe an animal's emotional behaviors such as facial expressions and body language, we cannot know their internal subjective "feelings" with certainty because they cannot communicate them to us.
Instinct vs. cognition: For simpler animals, aggressive behavior is a hardwired instinct, not a cognitive choice driven by complex thoughts and feelings. However, in more complex animals, it can involve a mix of instinct, past experiences, and internal states.
Not all wild animals express anger, and the concept of "anger" as humans experience it does not apply to the simplest life forms. The capacity for emotions, including anger, is tied to the complexity of an animal's nervous system. While many vertebrates, like mammals and birds, clearly express anger, it is highly debated whether invertebrates like insects or single-celled organisms can feel anything akin to it.
Animals That Express Anger
Mammals: A wide range of mammals, from large ones like wolverines, elephants and primates to smaller ones like dogs, show clear signs of anger. This behavior is a biological function to prepare them for threats, making them more aggressive to increase their chances of surviving a dangerous encounter. For instance, a horse that has been mistreated may pin its ears back and squeal angrily when approached by its abuser.
Birds: Many bird species, such as territorial songbirds, use aggressive displays to defend their resources, much like how humans use aggression to negotiate social interactions.
Fish: Contrary to popular belief, mounting scientific evidence suggests fish are sentient and experience a range of emotions, including distress and fear. Aquarium owners have observed signs of aggression that could be interpreted as anger, such as an aggressive burst of movement when territorial boundaries are crossed.
Reptiles: While their outward expressions are less obvious than those of mammals, reptiles have the necessary neurological systems to experience emotions like fear and anger. A study found that lizards' heart rates increase when handled, indicating an emotional response.
Organisms That Likely Do Not Express Anger
Insects and spiders: It is generally believed that insects and spiders do not feel emotions in a human sense because their brains are too simple. Their behavior is primarily driven by instinct and programmed responses to stimuli. For example, when a bee's hive is threatened, it releases an alarm pheromone to trigger a coordinated, instinctual attack, not one driven by individual anger. While some jumping spiders can recognize individual humans, it is more likely they are motivated by self-preservation rather than complex emotions.
Single-celled organisms: Tiny life forms like amoebas and bacteria lack a nervous system entirely, meaning they are incapable of feeling emotions. Their responses to the environment are based on chemical signals and stimuli, which govern their behavior to ensure survival. While some bacteria may act more "virulently" in times of stress, this is a physiological response, not an emotional one.
Did You Know?
There is no single animal considered the “angriest,” but the honey badger is regarded as one of the most aggressive and fearless animals, even known to combat much larger attackers with aplomb. The Nile crocodile, saltwater crocodile, Cape buffalo, and hippopotamus are also considered animals with very short tempers. So beware!
Research has shown that when resources are abundant and small animals have some chance of winning, they tend to be more aggressive than their larger opponents. This is because it may benefit larger individuals to avoid the costs of fighting and seek alternative uncontested resources.
The least aggressive animals in nature are often herbivores. Examples include butterflies, red pandas, sloths, manatees, rabbits, and quokkas.
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