Among Other Animals

About Among Other Animals

We share our homes, neighborhoods, and lives with other species, but how much do we really understand about them?

Among Other Animals explores the science of animal behavior and cognition, with a particular interest in the strange, funny, complicated ways humans and animals live alongside one another.

Drawing on a background in animal cognition and zoo studies, I write about the questions that arise when we look beyond the obvious:

  • What does an animal actually understand?
  • How do we know what they’re feeling?
  • Why do they behave the way they do?
  • What can the answers teach us about the animals we live with, and about ourselves?

Some stories begin with a dog who follows you into the bathroom, others with a question about the mind of a zoo animal. All are an attempt to better understand the creatures with whom we share the world.

A serene, photographic underwater scene showing a bottlenose dolphin gliding past a large viewing window in a modern aquarium tank. The dolphin is captured in profile, mid-swim, with smooth grey skin, small scars, and rippling musculature clearly visible. Soft, turquoise light filters from above, casting moving patterns across its body and the textured concrete walls. In the background, other dolphins appear as softer silhouettes, adding depth without distraction. The large glass panel dominates one side of the frame, reflecting faint, abstract shapes but no distinct people. The mood is contemplative and slightly bittersweet, emphasizing the contrast between the dolphin’s effortless movement and the contained environment, shot from a slightly low angle in crisp, realistic detail.
About the Writer

Elizabeth Smyth is a nonfiction writer interested in animal behavior, cognition, and the ways we share our lives with other species. With a background in comparative cognition and zoo studies, she writes about everything from living with our pets, to conservation, to the science behind behavior.

Contact

Reach out with questions, nonfiction writing requests, or collaborations.

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