Friends are not just a human phenomenon. The benefits of social connections — friendships — are plentiful in many different types of animals. Members of many animal species participate in friendships, which are important for their safety, well-being, and happiness. Just like in humans, friends are helpful for survival, emotional support, social standing, and cooperation. Friendship requires recognition of other individuals. Repeated positive interactions build trust—again, just as in human friendships.

Bottlenose dolphins form friendships that last for decades, and they use specific whistles that function as names to refer to their friends. Dolphins treat injured friends, share food with them, and hunt together. They tend to be friends with other individuals with shared interests, as seen

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