Over the past year, a number of stories have surfaced in the news that involve the killing of animals (Harambe, a gorilla who was killed after a child entered his enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo and Cecil, an iconic African lion who was killed by a recreational game hunter, for example). These stories offer unique opportunities for religion reporters to consider a variety of issues relevant to their beats. One such question is how do the moral and cognitive abilities of humans and animals compare? And, what does it mean if these abilities show similarities? In this dinner discussion, Dr. Irene Pepperberg will introduce her revolutionary work with African Grey parrots to touch on these types of questions. RNA member Kelsey Dallas will respond with remarks designed to help journalists think through how they might report on the issues raised by research like Pepperberg’s.
