One of my first two-syllable words was “whisper;” I whispered it to my mother. Whispering is one of the most human ways of communicating; it can convey intimacy, fear, love. Until now, no species except humans have ever been caught mid-whisper.
A group of tamarin moneys were captured and their communication studied at The Central Park Zoo. The squirrel-sized tamarins are some of the most community-oriented primates around, and their complex mob calls are a source of extensive research.
These monkeys, believe it or not, know how to whisper. When they see the Central Park Zoo staff member who was integral in their capture, they huddle and whisper to each other, presumably out of fear of being overheard and put in danger. These animals are profoundly intelligent creatures with strong bonds to one another, and much like humans, they choose to whisper through the scariest things in life.
Thanks to The Independent
Images via The Independent
