need an answer!

[curiouststudent]

are human beings the only species that knowledgeably commit suicide?

[Gilded]

Humans are the only animals to commit suicide for certain reasons, such as honor, religion etc. Obviously, these are all human concepts and thus it makes sense that such cases aren't evidenced in the animal world. However, self-termination in general isn't unheard of amongst animals, which can be considered suicide (I think the dictionary definition is simply any action that ends one's own life?). Some insect species "explode" themselves to protect their colony, and IIRC some animals appear to act in ways that guarantee a faster death if they're unable to reproduce, in physical pain etc. Perhaps someone else can give an example of the latter. But I suppose humans are the only species known to commit the kind of suicide where the sole intent is, due to psychological and abstract reasons, just dying without considering how it might affect other members of the species.

 

Also, you should've probably used the search function as this subject has been discussed (a lot) in this thread.

[Paralith]

Long story short, it depends on how you define suicide, and what you believe about the level of consciousness different animals have.

[angelpparker]

i accept that one.......

[Ozone]

LEMMINGS!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemming

 

Cheers,

 

O3

[insane_alien]

Ozone, from your link/

 

The myth of lemming mass suicide is long-standing and has been popularized by a number of factors. In 1955, Carl Barks drew an Uncle Scrooge adventure comic with the title: The Lemming with the Locket. This comic, which was inspired by a 1954 National Geographic article, showed massive numbers of lemmings jumping over Norwegian cliffs.[7]. Even more influential was the 1958 Disney film White Wilderness in which footage was shown that seems to show the mass suicide of lemmings. The film won an Academy Award for Documentary Feature.[8]

 

blame disney.

[Ozone]

Indeed!

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=lemmings

 

http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/moments/s1081903.htm

http://www.snopes.com/disney/films/lemmings.asp

http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20010725.html

 

The list goes on. It surprises me that the same strategy has worked so well for Gore.

 

Cheers,

 

O3

[antimatter]

Cells go through apoptosis, but they aren't a 'species'...

 

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mbugsuicide.html

 

First result on Google.