A reasonable person differs from an unreasonable one in that he is capable of deliberate logical actions. Civilized society has long recognized the importance of preserving all life on Earth. But it took us thousands of years to realize this …
And here our smaller brothers are superior to us in something. Surprisingly, science knows a lot of facts when animals saved people. The stories of incredible feats accomplished by our four-legged, feathered and waterfowl neighbors on the planet are simply amazing. Not only the child who knows the world will freeze in surprise after hearing about another case of miraculous salvation. Even pundits sometimes become perplexed, trying powerlessly to explain, from the point of view of science, the behavior of the next beast-savior.
Our article will tell about 10 animals that saved people from imminent disaster. And at the same time we’ll try to determine what prompted them to such feats.
Man’s best friend
If you try to make a list of animals that saved the lives of people, the dog will certainly take the top position of the top. This is one of the first animals that has been domesticated: at least 10, 000 years ago, man first brought a dog to his home, and since then they have coexisted together. This is not just a pet - it is a defender, a hunting companion, a shepherd, and sometimes even a nanny.
A dog is one of those animals that is very attached to a person, and it is not for nothing that the expression “dog loyalty” exists. The stories that the dog protected the owner from an intruder or helped the exhausted swimmer get to the shore, have not surprised anyone for a long time - there are too many similar stories.
But some dog feats shock even those who are familiar with these animals.
As an example, we mention the German Shepherd Buddy from the USA, who was taught by the owner of epilepsy to dial 911.
A Kennel dog from Kenya once found in the jungle a newborn girl wrapped in rags, which she brought to her dwelling to the puppies. The landlady, finding the find, called the police. Fortunately, nothing threatened the baby's life. But here's how the dog managed to transfer the baby through the forest, a busy highway and a section fenced with barbed wire, still remains a mystery.
The hero of another case recorded in the United States is the tiny Zoe - a chihuahua weighing a couple of kilograms. But in a small body, a very big heart sometimes beats. One day, Zoey saw a snake throw at a one-year-old grandson of his mistress. The dog rushed to the reptile, he was bitten, but no longer allowed the creeping aggressor to the baby. Both the child and the dog were assisted.
By her own?
It is generally accepted that cats are narcissistic and independent proud. But they have repeatedly denied such allegations.
The average cat is not so strong as to make a person out of the fire, but he can warn about this fire. There are a lot of similar cases when a cat woke up the owners and saved the whole family from imminent death. The cat Timothy from Lebedin (Ukraine), Simba from New Zealand, the Persian cat from Koryakovo (RF, Yaroslavl region) are the real heroes who saved people from fire last year. And how many of these heroes remained unknown? Not every feat is made public.
There are also cases when animals saved people with their own heat.
But cats are not as harmless as they seem. An enraged animal can intimidate even one who is many times larger than him in size. For example, an outdoor surveillance camera in one of the southern cities of the United States photographed a case where a domestic cat repelled an attack by a stray dog on the owner’s child. The video instantly became viral.
Pets save owners
With cats and dogs, everything is more or less clear. They have long been domesticated, often live among people. But not only they have something to surprise us with.
Australian farmer Len Richards came out of a dying kangaroo and gave him the name Lulu. A few months later, when a huge branch fell on Lena’s head during a hurricane, it was Lulu who found the owner and shouted over his body for several hours until he caught the attention of people. Lena saved. But if not for Lulu, his fate would be sad.
Another amazing case was recorded several years ago. Simon Stegal of Cambridgeshire, England, once felt ill. At this time, his wife was at home, who decided that her husband was just tired and lay down to take a nap. And only the domestic rabbit noticed something was wrong - he jumped on the owner, began to make noise and pound his feet on the body. This attracted the attention of a woman, she tried to wake her husband, but when she saw that this did not help, she called an ambulance. Doctors diagnosed a diabetic crisis and said that if it were not for the sensitive animal, it would hardly have been possible to save the person.
Another amazing example happened with the girl Hannah. Her nanny left the room, and after a couple of minutes she heard her parrot scream heart-rendingly: “Mom! Kid!" Upon returning, the nanny saw a suffocating baby, who choked on a piece of cake. Fortunately, the woman had first aid skills, but, according to her, the real hero is her favorite, nicknamed Willy.
These stories about how animals save people make us think that we don’t know much about pets.
Dolphins and other cetaceans: myths and reality
According to marine biologists, it is reliably known about a large number of cases when dolphins attacked people: surrounded by a flock, tried to drag them into the open sea, grabbed and dragged to the depths. Not a single case of human salvation is currently recorded.
But those who escaped from the depths of the sea repeatedly said that it was the dolphins that helped them survive. Can there be smoke without fire? Probably, these smart animals still help people sometimes.
But the case of the sea beluga whale, which pushed the scuba diver to the surface, was not only officially registered, but also filmed on camera. It was in China in the diving competitions without equipment, which took place in the pool with white whales. Diver Young Young, plunging into the depths, felt that his legs did not obey. He tried to emerge, but his body cramped. Then Beluga whale Mila grabbed the swimmer's legs and quickly carried to the surface. Mila’s little teeth didn’t even scratch Young.
The debate about how people living in the sea rescue people continues. But, despite the insufficient evidence base, experts are inclined to think that it is not worth excluding such a probability.
In zoo
Gorillas are wild predators dangerous to humans. But science knows many cases when higher primates came to the rescue of man.
At the Jersey Zoo (UK), a boy fell into an aviary with monkeys. The large male Levan hastened to him, picked him up and carried him to where the zoo workers, already running to the rescue, were able to take the baby from their clutches. Levan not only neatly transferred the boy, but also protected him from curious relatives. The boy was diagnosed with head injury and fractures. If the gorillas behaved differently, would prevent people, it would be impossible to save the child.
A similar incident occurred in Illinois in 1996. A three-year-old baby who fell from a height into an aviary was patronized by a female Binti Jua. She supported his head and did not admit other gorillas. Workers unhindered took the child from her clutches.
Lifeguards in the wild
Speaking about how animals save people, many primarily mention cats and dogs. But incredible cases occur in the wild.
The most amazing of them, perhaps, was recorded in 2005 in Kenya. The 12-year-old girl was abducted by attackers, but the kidnappers did not have time to carry out their plans - they were attacked by a flock of lions. In fear, the criminals fled, leaving the victim to be torn to pieces by lions, rightly believing that this would delay the predators. The plan worked, but the wild animals did not even think to offend the girl. They surrounded her and guarded her until the search squad arrived. When armed people approached, the lions simply moved away to a safe distance, but did not leave until they were convinced that the child was safe.
Why do wild animals save people? Scientists just shrug.
On the farm
Horses and domestic pigs are another example that can be given by telling how animals save people. In 1998, in Pennsylvania, Leela pig, for example, having discovered the mistress's lifeless body, ran to the track and brought help with her. The woman was saved. And Kerry's horse saved her mistress Fiona Boyd from the hooves of an angry cow, literally standing up to protect the woman with a human shield.
Mutual assistance in the wild
Observing wildlife helps shed light on the question of what drives animal saviors. It is known that during natural disasters (forest fires, for example), animals of different species compile efforts in order to escape from the elements.
Some behavioral oddities are impossible to explain. For example, scientists do not understand what makes ferocious African hippos rush to the aid of gazelles and zebras and beat them off from crocodiles.
But the fact remains: mutual assistance to animals is not alien.
What are the causes of animal behavior?
Experts say that the thing is herd instinct. Many animals are social, for them caring for their neighbor is not a right to choose, but something taken for granted.
Cases when animals save children are explained by the fact that for a wild beast, a child is the same cub. He is perceived not as prey, but as a weaker member of the pack who needs care.
But those in whose homes and hearts have room for shaggy and feathered, something else is known. Something for which there are no units and formulas that cannot be described in abstruse terms. Animals are able to love, no matter what the pundits say. It is this feeling that sometimes drives our pets, selflessly rushing to our aid.
