The science is clear that humans are not alone in their capacity to think and feel. Studies and anecdotes reveal similarities between human and non-human beings in self-awareness, empathy, communication, and even grief. From the whale who guides a lost sailor home in the fog, to the wild elephants who presciently appear at the fence of a reserve before the arrival of rescued orphans, animals don’t just reflect components of our intelligence, they maintain a uniquely mysterious cognition of their own. Safina, our ecologist guide, has a contagious enthusiasm for the whales, wolves, and elephants he observes, and challenges us to consider: If we appreciate that animals value their own lives, could we be inspired to let them be?