Do animals get bored like we do when we're holed up in our apartment on a rainy weekend? And how do they keep themselves occupied when we're not around anyway?

Researchers at the University of Guelph may have solved one of mankind's greatest mysteries. In a study published this week, the team confirmed that animals living in captivity suffer from boredom. Furthermore, these animals combat boredom in similar ways that humans do, like snacking and napping.

The researchers observed two groups of captive mink: one living in "enriched" cages, the other confined to smaller, bare cages. Both groups were presented with stimuli ranging from appealing treats to undesirable objects.

The group living in the confined, sparse spaces were more quick to approach the objects — even items that are normally frightening to minks — in search of stimulation. Researchers also found that these animals ate more treats, even when given as much food as mink in enriched environments. When they were not undergoing testing, the confined mink spent much of their time lying down and idle.

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"We don't know whether mink or other animals truly feel bored in the same way that humans do," says Rebecca Meagher, the study's lead author. "But we can see that, when they have little to do, then just like many bored humans, they may look listless, and, if given the chance, eagerly seek any form of stimulation."

The study's ultimate goal is to better understand boredom and its consequences on health across species. In addition, the study's authors are hopeful that these results will spur development of better housing environments for captive animals.

Since we can't rely on verbal cues to signal their boredom, we found animals that are clearly uninterested in their surroundings. So, browse, awwww and share in the name of animal rights.

20 Animals That Are Seriously Bored

Image courtesy of Flickr, Edward L