The prairie vole is capable of consoling behaviour that previously has only been known in humans and a few higher animals, such as chimpanzees. Photo: PA

A new study has found that prairie voles will console other voles who are feeling stressed – which researchers have described as evidence of empathy.

A study team at Emory University set up an experiment where pairs of voles isolated from each other, and one of them was exposed to mild shocks.

When they were reunited, the voles who hadn’t been shocked would lick their partners sooner and for longer durations than specimens in a control group who were separated but not exposed to shocks.

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Source: Animals more capable of empathy than previously thought, study finds – Telegraph