Animals also like to make friends

Elephants, dolphins, primates and now bats tend to establish friendships like humans.

Bats also like making friends like people.

After a long period of research, the scientific community has just concluded: the friendship has long existed in at least 5 animals, from giant size species like elephants to small species like bats . In the new study of the Proceedings of the Royal Society B , University of Greifswald expert (Germany) discovered that the Bechstein likes to socialize with certain friends. And despite the chaotic formation as usual, bats have the ability to maintain strong relationships, according to leader Gerald Kerth.

Kerth's group has watched many bats for five years to make the above conclusion. Accordingly, male bats often choose a lonely life, while female bats are always clustered together, sharing a place in a cave or a tree hole. The members of the bat team exchanged information about the new accommodation more appropriately, and from there jointly made a decision about the next residence. Researchers found that the choice of companions based on size, age, reproductive status and blood relation. Adult bats often maintain contact with different groups of friends.

Kerth experts believe that human-friendships tend to exist in bats living in mild temperatures. Jonathon Balcombe, a scientist who specializes in animal behavior, said that bats sometimes act as midwives. In the case reported in Florida, a pregnant woman is suffering with the help of another bat. Bats - midwives constantly brush and hug bats - pregnant women. After the baby bat was born, the 'midwife' brushed her hair and used the propeller for her baby bat.

According to previous findings, species with long-term social relationships are elephants, dolphins, primates and of course humans, animals with large brains. However, research by German experts shows that pea-species can still form strong ties. This may counteract the hypothesis that people must develop brain size in part to maintain special relationships in a constantly changing social context. Evidence shows that small brain bats also preserve friendships several times better than humans.