At times, huge predators can be pretty cuddly. Big lions, ferocious tigers and majestic birds of prey can certainly evoke sympathy, although they’d love to tear you to pieces and feed you to their young. In part, this is because some animals have been endowed with recognisable (i.e. “human”) qualities in myths through the ages – from Aesop’s fables to Lion Kings and Jungle Books. The good animals are beautiful, admirable and struggling for good causes, while the evil animal characters (hyenas, snakes, vultures, etc) are ugly, threatening, repulsive and thereby inherently devious. On a good day, we can extend our sympathies to more species than those conveniently mythologised. After all, even hyenas lovingly take care of their small ones, although it may not be a matter of saving up for college but rather providing some half-rotten spoil, still encrusted with the anguished blood of a helpless victim. But does this apply to non-mammals too? Strangely enough, there seems to be a...