It is so often that as we sit with a predator during a period of rest, we hope to see one yawning, this can often precede a bout of activity. Contagious yawning is a fascinating ritual and I regularly find myself anticipating at least one while waiting for a pride of lions sleeping the afternoon away or a leopard lying up in a marula tree. Picture that moment as you have waited for lions to rouse from their slumber to catch them displaying their impressive canines, wondering when and what their next move is going to be? And if I start yawning, will the lions start yawning? I now realize this might induce widespread yawning as you read along—don’t worry, no offence taken.
The Ntomi Male showing off his impressive canines while yawning in the warmth of the winter sun.
A single cub of the Ximungwe Female's second litter. Initially rather skittish but is very relaxed now. Birth mark in his left eye.
The Act of Yawning
Yawning is a reflex involving simultaneous air intake and jaw stretching, often followed by a shorter exhalation. Although it is a common behaviour observed in humans and many animals, the exact purpose is not fully understood. Psychologist Andrew Gullup proposes that yawning may serve to cool the brain and flush it with oxygen heightening alertness. Essentially the act of yawning results in an increase of blood flow to the head, collectively contributing to brain cooling. This phenomenon could be our body’s way of staying alert, particularly in warmer conditions or when feeling fatigued.
The moment you have been waiting to capture – the formidable canines of one of the Ntsevu Males on display during a deep yawn.
While we are all familiar with spontaneous big yawns marking transitions between sleep and wakefulness, contagious yawning as a social behaviour, by nature, is less understood. Contagious means that witnessing or even thinking about yawning can trigger yawning in others. (So at this point I suspect you may have yawned at least once by now). What has been noted, however, is the link between contagious yawning and social bonding. This brings me back to the pride of lions waking from their afternoon slumber.
It is possible here that while one lioness yawns and is less alert, another lioness, through witnessing this yawn becomes more vigilant to compensate for the yawner’s lowered vigilance. Thus, when contagious yawning spreads in a group, it could boost the overall vigilance of the entire group.
Contagious Yawning and Group Synchronisation
As guides, we are always looking to predict animals’ behaviour by observing cues. With lions and most other mammals, the first sign that they will begin the process of getting active or a bout of activity is a big yawn (although this can also be expected when they are likely to start nodding off). Beyond being a reflex, the neurovascular effects of yawning induce changes in state, initiating behavioural transitions and increased movement. As the yawns spread through the group, it synchronizes and coordinates their actions. For lions, the next move usually includes a good scratch, stretching, and relieving themselves followed by grooming themselves or fellow pride members. This synchronization not only improves social bonds but may boost overall group vigilance, as contagious yawning seems to be a way for individuals to compensate for the lowered vigilance of the initial yawner. Thus, in the wild, contagious yawning becomes a silent language, enhancing group cohesion and potentially offering survival advantages.
Contagious yawning is linked to mirror neurons, found in the brains of animals, including humans. These neurons fire both when an individual performs an action and when they witness someone else doing the same. This neural mirroring is believed to support empathy and social bonding, crucial for the survival of many species.
Signs of Empathy
If contagious yawns are elicited by seeing or hearing another yawn, does this apply to all social species and what does that mean for nonsocial species such as leopards? Some studies suggest that individual differences in empathy may be contributing to the variability in contagious yawns. This includes interspecific studies between social animals including humans, dogs, chimpanzees, and sheep showing a positive relationship between familiarity among the participants and the likelihood of yawning. If we see someone yawn, and that reflexively triggers the same response in us, that could be kind of a basic indicator of empathetic processing. However, not all current studies show that relationship, so while it may explain the variation between social and nonsocial species the full scope of this connection remains a subject of ongoing exploration.
A tender moment is shared between two Ntsevu Males as they greet each other. Often post yawn and as part of their waking ritual, lions will rub heads with each other as a form of affection, enhancing the (already strong) bond between individuals.
In the end, the act of yawning in the wild becomes more than just a reflex, it transforms into a silent language, a means of group coordination, and perhaps, a subtle indicator of empathy. The jury may still be out on certain aspects, but the journey into the enigma of contagious yawning leaves us with a newfound appreciation for the intricate social dynamics interwoven within the realm of wildlife existence.
Have you ever seen a giraffe yawn? Due to the great distance between the head and both heart and lungs, giraffes have special adaptations for breathing and blood circulation which is speculated to avert the need for yawning. Other animals that don’t need to regulate their brain temperature (such as fish) or those that already have an efficient way of cooling their brains, like elephants with their large ears, don’t need to yawn as often.
How interesting Kelsey, thanks for sharing your insights about the act of yawning. We are all creatures of habit and can be influenced by the behavior of others around us. Such as mob behavior.
My pleasure William – we certainly are all creatures of habit!
Thanks, Kelsey, for this interesting article. I even had to yawn when I saw the first picture. So, I probably feel empathy towards these lions and leopards. Which in fact, I do.
And, wow, their canines are really impressive. Wonderful photos.
I’m glad you enjoyed it Christa… and that it stirred further empathy towards the lions and leopards! 🙂
So interesting Kelsey to hear that contagious yawning in the wild triggers empathy and is a silent language between the lions. With humans if one yawns in the conversation, then it is as if everyone else also wants to yawn, and it makes you feel sleepy. Usually with the leopards, they yawn and stretch and then they get up to start hunting.
Thanks Valmai, I’m glad you could relate some of your personal experiences, especially with the leopard!
funny to think about! have you ever seen a giraffe yawn?! tried very hard NOT to yawn thru the post! but you got me! interesting read! 🙂
Haha sorry I got you there Anita, but glad you enjoyed the blog! 🙂
Ok Kelsey, how many times did You yawn while writing this piece.🥱🤫
Haha a lot more than I would like to admit Ann! 🙂
Super informative post Kelsey, and I literally yawned at the sight of the Ntomi male’s gaping yawn!
Haha thanks Paul! Sorry I got you there but hope you enjoyed the pictures 🙂
Interesting article Kelsey as yawning among humans seems to represent a few factors: tiredness, boredom or seeing someone else who’s yawning. In the safari world, mostly we’re told as we watch the big cats, yawning tends to represent patrolling and or hunting is their next move after resting. However, it seems that again, that researchers actually don’t know exactly what yawning signals. It could be a social element within lion prides but for other non-social species, questionable. Something more to think about.
Thanks Denise, it is all very fascinating and more to discover as you say! 🙂
Hi Kelsey, you got me into my “matter of facts”! When writing my second thesis in animal behaviour, I tried to introduce and dig into mirror neurons and empathy (even though it was not so appreciated ten years ago as today’s), I found only findings in humans, apes and cats. So the pictures of those magnificent big cats are really the start point! In humans it is caused by lack of oxygen in the brain as well. I wonder if animals do that in order to wake up properly and get more oxygen to their brain. The rutuals of union are – nowadays- an undoubted sign of empathy. I always talked of lioness Kamunyak and her “adopted” baby oryx to sceptical people. It went against any dna protection and need of getting fit. So, thank you for this beautiful article and fantastic pictures. Giraffe have their own way to maximise the oxygen intake, i just love the last picture!
Thank you for your insightful response Francesca! All so fascinating and still a lot to learn. Glad you enjoyed the blog and pictures 🙂
Thanks Kelsey, that’s very interesting. I’m always happy if I can manage to get a good photo of one of the cats yawning, though you need to be quick! And now it’s time for my nap….
Thanks Suzanne – You do need to be quick! Enjoy your nap 🙂
An interesting topic for sure. I was discussing yawning with my acupuncturist not long ago, and in Chinese medicine it’s seen as a very positive movement of energy. In cultures where yawning is considered rude (and it’s anything but) we stifle our yawns and keep our energy stuck. Since then I’ve made a conscious effort to embrace my yawns more as a method for nervous system regulation as well as for having more genuine compassion for the intelligence of my body. It feels good to yawn, both physically and emotionally, knowing I am ignoring ridiculous social constructs that don’t have our best interests in mind. It’s very grounding.
Thanks for sharing that Chelsea, very interesting to hear and I couldn’t agree more! Will be embracing my yawns a lot more going forward 🙂