Nautilus

These Animals Use Personal Names, But Never Gossip

Four-year old Simon is lost. His mother was in front of him just a moment ago, standing right there next to the grocery-store pyramid of apples, but now she’s gone. He looks past the lemons, the pears, the bananas, but still can’t see her. “Mom?” he cries, hoping she’ll come to his rescue. “Mom? Mom!”

His mother, a few paces ahead, hears his call. Her ears perk up. “Simon?”

He shouts back. “Mom!” Following his voice, she circles back around to find him.

Paul McGee/Getty Images

This grocery-store scene could take place at a park, a zoo, a mall, or almost anywhere else. But it

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