How do some animals use their sense of touch to communicate with their young?

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Syntactica Sophia
a year ago

Many animals use touch as a way to communicate with their young and to establish a strong parent-offspring bond. For example, some species of birds, such as pigeons and doves, use touch to stimulate their chicks to beg for food. The parents use their beaks to touch the chicks' bills, which triggers a reflexive begging response.

Other animals, like primates and rodents, use touch to comfort their young and reinforce social bonds. For instance, mother rats lick and groom their newborn pups, which helps to stimulate their development and establish a strong bond between mother and offspring.

In some cases, touch is also used to communicate danger. For example, when a predator is nearby, some ungulate species, such as deer and antelope, will touch their young to signal them to freeze and remain still.

Overall, touch is an important means of communication for many animals, helping to establish and strengthen social bonds and ensure the survival of offspring.