Amongst all animals that laugh, the phenomenon is most often observed and understood in primates. Along with some species of monkeys, most primates laugh when playing, roughhousing, or tickling one another. For example, both wild and captive chimpanzees laugh when engaging in playful behavior. Unlike a human laugh, chimpanzees typically pant heavily when laughing, alternating with deep inhalations and exhalations. Screeching is another sound that chimpanzees make when they laugh, especially when tickled. They may also vocalize their laughter when surprised by a fellow chimp. If one chimp laughs, another chimp will sometimes laugh in response to another chimp’s laughter. Furthermore, chimps that don’t know each other well laugh more often than well-acquainted chimps. This indicates that chimpanzees use laugher as a way to ease tense situations and to blow of steam. Through this behavior, chimpanzees use laughter as a social lubricant to raise the level of cohesion within a group.
Elephants form tight-knit herds of related family members and possess a keen level of intelligence. They can complete complex tasks, manipulate tools, and recognize themselves, people, and other elephants. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that elephants also count among the list of animals that laugh. Elephants frequently engage in playful behavior and may jostle or play tricks on one another. In addition, when playing, baby elephants may make a sound that sounds similar to a human giggle. Another common vocalization that elephants make when happy is trumpeting with their trunks. All this evidence helps to reinforce the notion that elephants can laugh. Plus, since an elephant “never forgets,” there’s a high probability that they always remember the best knock-knock jokes.
At some point or other, every dog owner has told their pup a joke to try and get it to laugh. While this may seem silly, it’s not completely nuts, as dogs possess the ability to laugh. When dogs laugh, they pant in a rhythmic pattern made up of a burst of varying frequencies. In some cases, these pants can even sound like human laughter. Scientists discovered that playing these panting sounds to other dogs initiates spontaneous play, increases social behavior, and reduces stress. In addition to laughing, dogs will also wag their tail when happy, and some will put on a “happy face” that looks an awful lot like a human smile. So the next time your dog is in a bad mood, try telling it a joke and see if you get a pant, smile, or a big lick on the face for your effort.
Few animals in human history have been observed, analyzed, and dissected as much as rats. Due to their frequency as “lab rats,” scientists get plenty of opportunities to watch rat responses to certain stimuli. It comes as no surprise that scientists discovered rats emit a long, ultrasonic chirping sound when engaging in rough play or when tickled. This sound is likened to a laugh, and rats that laugh the most prefer to spend time with other rats that laugh. In addition to laughing when playing or being tickled, rats also chirp before receiving narcotic substances or during intercourse. As a result, most scientists consider the behavior as a response to positive experiences, similar to how children laugh when they have fun.
Of all the marine mammals, dolphins seem like the only ones who really know how to cut loose and laugh. During playful situations, dolphins emit a certain sound that they don’t normally make in any other context. This sound, best described as several pulses accompanied by a whistle, only occurs when dolphins play fight with one another. Furthermore, dolphins don’t make this sound when they fight aggressively, indicating that the sound has nothing to do with fighting. Based on this evidence, scientists determined that the sound is a vocalization of pleasure. At the very least, the sound is a sign that the dolphin’s actions are non-threatening. In a sense, dolphins laugh to let each other know that they’re okay. By laughing, they communicate their intentions and prevent a possible confrontation with another dolphin.