Animal Intelligence - Tumblr Posts
Honeybees can recognize human faces. In a study conducted at the University of Queensland, researchers trained honeybees to associate a sugar reward with pictures of human faces. The bees were able to remember and recognize the faces, even when presented with a mix of familiar and unfamiliar ones. This surprising ability showcases the cognitive complexity of these tiny insects.
So long, and thanks for all the fish
Dolphins are known for their high level of intelligence among non-human animals. While brain size is one factor often considered in discussions of intelligence, it's important to note that intelligence is a complex trait influenced by various factors.
Dolphins, particularly species like bottlenose dolphins, have large and highly developed brains relative to their body size. The encephalization quotient (EQ), which measures brain size relative to body size, is often used to compare the intelligence of different species. Dolphins have relatively high EQs, indicating that their brains are larger than expected for an animal of their size.
Dolphins are renowned for their intricate communication skills, employing a diverse range of vocalizations, body language, and distinctive whistles. Their communication is not only used for basic interaction but also for conveying complex information within their social groups. The ability to convey and understand various messages suggests a high level of cognitive sophistication.
Research has confirmed that dolphins engage in cooperative problem-solving. They often work together to achieve common goals, such as hunting for prey or navigating challenging environments. Dolphins have been observed using coordinated tactics to corral fish into tight groups, making it easier for them to capture their prey. This collaborative approach to problem-solving reflects a high level of social intelligence and effective communication within dolphin pods.
Dolphins are known for their ability to teach and learn from one another. This includes the transmission of behaviors and skills within the group, a phenomenon known as cultural transmission. Dolphins can pass on knowledge about hunting techniques, communication signals, and other behaviors to younger or less experienced members of the pod. This cultural exchange contributes to the transmission and preservation of complex behaviors across generations.
Another indicator of advanced cognitive abilities is self-awareness, and dolphins have demonstrated this trait. Through the mirror test, where animals recognize themselves in a mirror, dolphins have displayed a level of self-awareness. This suggests a cognitive capacity for introspection and an understanding of one's own identity, a characteristic shared by a select group of intelligent species.
While not as extensively studied as in some other intelligent species, there is evidence that dolphins engage in tool use. For instance, some dolphins use sponges to protect their snouts while foraging on the ocean floor. This behavior reflects a certain level of cognitive flexibility and innovation, as dolphins adapt objects from their environment for specific purposes, showcasing a capacity for tool use.
Photo credits:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C1FmXM-v-W3/
©Elena Larina/Shutterstock.com
https://discoverycove.com/orlando/blog/how-do-dolphins-communicate
https://www.flickr.com/photos/fascinationwildlife/22394533689
And to think there's people who genuinely believe animals are unthinking, unfeeling husks.
Y'all want to know what thought is fucking with me today?
Parrots can learn the concept of questions. I don't know about the claim that chimpanzees that were taught sign language never learned to ask questions, or the theory that it simply wouldn't occur to them that the human handlers might know things that they personally do not, or that whatever information they have might be worth knowing. But I don't even remember where I read that, and at best it's an anecdote of an anecdote, but anyway, parrots.
The exact complexity of natural parrot communication in the wild is beyond human understanding for the time being, but you can catch glimpses of how complex it is by looking at how much they learn to pick up from human speech. Sure, they figure out that this sound means this object, animal, person, or other thing. Human says "peanut" and presents a peanut, so the sound "peanut" means peanut. Yes. But if you make the same sound with a rising intonation, you are inquiring about the possibility of a peanut.
A bird that's asking "peanut?" knows there is no peanut physically present in the current situation, but hypothetically, there could be a peanut. The human knows whether there will be a peanut. The bird knows that making this specific human sound with this specific intonation is a way of requesting for this information, and a polite way of informing the human that a peanut is desired.
"I get a peanut?" is a polite spoken request. There is no peanut here, but there could be a peanut. The bird knows that the human knows this. But without the rising intonation of a question, the statement "I get a peanut." is a firm implied threat. There is no peanut here, but there better fucking be one soon. The bird knows that the human knows this.
http://blessphemy.tumblr.com/post/82581876262/k0ratta-alright-listen-up-tumblr-see-this
ALRIGHT LISTEN UP TUMBLR
SEE THIS BIRD HERE?
this bird is a new caledonian crow
AND this “bird brain” may be the most intelligent animal on earth.
oh what’s that you say? what about the other intelligent animals?
Dolphins? naw
Great apes? take a back seat
…