A Conversation about Animal Cognition

Gorillas Calaya and Moke at the Great Ape House outdoor yard.

On Aug. 31, 2019, the Smithsonian's National Zoo's animal welfare and research manager Betsy Herrelko, Ph.D., moderated a panel at the 2019 Library of Congress National Book Festival. The panel included primatologist Dr. Frans de Waal and dog cognition expert Dr. Alexandra Horowitz who discussed their new books, "Mama's Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us About Ourselves" and "Our Dogs, Ourselves: The Story of a Singular Bond."

The venue was filled to capacity for the conversation on animal emotions and human-animal relationships — a topic that is of interest to the general public and reflected in the daily conversations that keepers and volunteers have with Zoo visitors about animal cognition, behavior and welfare.

Listen to the complete panel discussion: