[JoeV1]

So do grizzlies, who often kill cubs, and sometimes females, and chimps and lions and hyenas... etc. etc. You should watch Animal Planet more often. Murder isn't a human only behavior. Cats keep their prey alive simply to toy with them.

What you are saying refers to the term anthropomorphism, the attributing of human characteristics to animals. It doesn't really make sense to do this because we cannot get into the minds of these creatures. For the taking of a life to be deemed murder there must be premeditation. Perhaps I should have clarified my original statement to use this term instead of the term "kill"

Since their (animals) primary motivating force is instinct, it is probably safe to say they are driven to acts of violence by reasons other then sheer pleasure. I don't believe there is an element of premeditation in what they do

[monday]

"I don't believe there is an element of premeditation in what they do"

You would be wrong. Animals kill for many of the same reasons humans do, jealousy, for sport, establishing dominance, for sexual favors, for food, even just bullying, killing off the weak or inept. Humans have expanded on the number of reasons to kill but we are not different from animals except in our increased sophistication.