To what extent do animals consciously experience emotions?

The question is one that until recently could not have been asked with any seriousness at a scientific conference without risking snorts of derision. Heretofore it just wasn't done to speculate on animal emotions, because to do so ran the risk of "anthropomorphizing" your subject.

Yet at an animal behavior meeting I attended last week at the University of Newcastle in northeast England, a session of talks was devoted to just that.