We humans aren’t the only species that mourn our dead, we aren’t the only species that bury our dead either. This act of burying the dead extends to animals as well. Animals such as the chimpanzee, magpie and the mighty elephant do this in one way or another. These animals have more intelligence than simply having self-awareness, to an extent where they bury their dead. Penguins are intelligent and self-aware as well. So do penguins bury their dead as well?

Penguins do indeed bury their dead. In fact, they bury their dead in a similar way to humans. These animals actually break and dig into ice with their beaks to create a hole in which they can bury their dead. They even cluster together as a small group to hold a funeral

Do penguins bury their dead?

Penguins are among the few animals that grieve when their mate, baby, or family member dies. But these birds do not only mourn for their dead relatives. It will amaze you to know that they sometimes hold what humans like to call funeral services and then dig deep holes in the ice with the aid of their beaks and vestigial wings to bury the dead.

If you’ve ever seen a small group of penguins clustered together away from other penguins, they just might be holding a funeral over their dead. The fact that penguins occasionally bury their dead is one reason why dead penguins are rarely found on the ice surface. Another reason is that the unburied penguins get eaten by giant petrels or skuas.

Do penguins mourn?

Penguins mourn their dead all the time. These birds are highly intelligent and have emotions and feelings similar to humans. When a penguin loses something it holds dear, it gets very sad. The grieving bird spends its time moping and even goes without food for days. Other members of the community come over to console the grieving bird.

There have also been cases where one of these birds commit suicide following a close family member’s death. The grieving bird separates itself from the group and slowly walks towards the mountains, far away from the water that keeps penguins alive.

Can I hug a penguin?

Penguins don’t like to be hugged, so it’s a NO. These birds may appear cute and friendly, but in reality, they are ill-tempered and wild. The birds hate it when they are touched or handled and might lash out at you with their sharp beak.

While hugging adult penguins is a no-no, you can try your luck with baby penguins. They are friendlier and calm, unlike their parents. When hugging little penguins, remember not to overdo it as they might feel threatened and bite you. If hugging a penguin is one of the things on your bucket list, we’d recommend that you go to a place where the birds are trained to cuddle – this is for your safety.

What happens if a penguins mate dies?

Penguins are monogamous birds, so when their mate dies it causes them much grief. These creatures spend a significant amount of time mourning their dead mate, after which they go out in search of a new mate. Female penguins, especially, need to get a mate fast as penguin chicks cannot be nourished adequately by one parent.

Can penguins cry?

There’s no proof that penguins cry. But that’s not to say the birds don’t feel sad when their baby or mate dies. While humans express grieve over a loved one’s death by crying excessively, pigeons have their unique way of mourning. You might not see tears streaming down the face of a penguin that has just lost a baby or lover, but know that deep inside, it is crying a river.

Conclusion

In conclusion, yes pigeons do bury their dead, they bury their dead in a similar way to that of humans. One major difference is that instead of burying their dead in the sand they use their beaks to dig holes in ice. They then proceed to huddle around the grave as though they are having a funeral.

In addition to burying their dead, these animals also mourn their dead as well, the animal can grieve and can even go without food for days. But don’t try your luck and hug a penguin in an effort to make it feel better, they aren’t fond of hugs.

If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other bird related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Can birds move their babies? Can birds eat hemp seeds? Do birds have friends? How do birds show affection to humans? How to know if a bird egg is alive? What do birds do with unhatched eggs?