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“Even fish have fun” [book extract]
The Independent (London), May 30, 2006
Science has neglected animal pleasure. Research tends to focus on evolutionary explanations for natural phenomena. By considering only natural selection and reproductive success, it overlooks the experiences of animals — their feelings, emotions and pleasures...

“Animals just want to have fun”
Wired Magazine, Aug 15, 2006
They get intoxicated, delight in chasing each other, and have sex just for kicks. The subjects of Jonathan Balcombe's Pleasurable Kingdom are not spring breakers, but animals large and small. Balcombe, the animal behavior research scientist for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, describes little-explored similarities between humans and animals from an unusual perspective: how various species have fun...

“Do animals have emotions? Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle”
Seattle Times, Nov 1, 2006
Danger-junkie orangutans in Borneo climb dead trees and destabilize them until they begin to fall. They scream with excitement as they cling to the falling tree. Just before the tree hits the ground the orangs leap to another tree or vine, narrowly escaping death. Researchers call this peculiar behavior snag-riding and liken it to bungee jumping for monkeys. While no one can ask orangutans if they enjoy the same adrenaline rush as a person playing an extreme sport...

“Speaking Out for the Voiceless”
The Hindu (New Delhi), Jan 19, 2007
Like humans, animals too enjoy good food, feel pain and express emotions. To drive home the point that animals have the basic right to life and freedom from cruelty at the hands of humans in abattoirs and laboratories, Jonathan Balcombe, an American animal behaviour research scientist, is here these days delivering lectures at various medical colleges and universities across the country...

“Dissection alternatives are an enlightened choice”
New Times, San Luis Obispo, Aug 14, 2007
As a biologist, I applaud people like Dr. Nancy Harrison for promoting dissection alternatives and encouraging students and educators to take advantage of these teaching tools ("No guts, no gory," Aug. 9). Here are four "E's" for why schools should replace traditional animal dissections with virtual dissections. Published studies have shown that the best dissection alternatives offer students a superior educational experience.

“Animals Like to Have Sex, Expert Says”
Toronto Star, Nov 21, 2007
Jonathan Balcombe has been billed an animal sexpert – at least for tonight. "I didn't know that's how they spun it," he says with a chuckle, referring to his Toronto talk sponsored by the animal protection charity Zoocheck Canada. A recent ad for the event, nestled amid concert listings in NOW magazine, promises would-be audience members an answer to the question: "Do animals enjoy sex?"...

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