Some Antarctic penguins can recognize themselves in mirrors
And the birds may belong to a small group of animals known to be self-aware, according to a new study.
Previous research has shown that some mammals
Including apes, bottlenose dolphins and elephants, and some birds, such as pigeons, crows and magpies, are self-aware.
This trait is assessed in animals with a behavioral test that monitors the animal’s ability to identify itself as an individual in a mirror.
The new
Yet-to-be-finished, peer-reviewed study, recently published on the preprint server bioRxiv, examines how Adélie penguins in Antarctica respond to images of themselves in mirrors.
As part of the study
The scientists, including those from the Indian government’s Department of Earth Sciences, conducted four experiments, one of which involved placing mirrors on the ground and randomly observing penguins looking down at them.
In another experiment
The researchers built a cardboard enclosure around some penguins, directing them toward a mirror at the end of the enclosure.
They also put stickers on the mirrors so that when the birds looked at them, they looked like they were on the penguins.
In a final experiment
The scientists placed bibs on randomly placed penguins in front of a mirror.
« We believe this series of experiments may represent the first investigation into the potential existence of self-awareness in the penguin species, » the scientists wrote in the study.
While the researchers found no response from the penguins in the first experiment
They found that in the second experiment, the penguins moved in a way that suggested they might have been exploring themselves.
In a third experiment
The penguins appeared excited when they saw a mirror with a sticker on it and tried to tear it off, the scientists said.
While the jury is still out
The researchers say the combined results of all the experiments suggest that penguins may display some degree of self-awareness.
« Our investigations lead us to tentatively hypothesize that Adélie penguins may be self-aware
As evidenced by their responses to images of themselves in mirrors, » the scientists wrote in the study.
Adélie penguins’ ability to distinguish individuals
« especially in their large colonies, » may indicate that « the ability to have a ‘self-concept’ of themselves as individuals » may have been an important step in their evolution, they said. .
« While not yet studied in detail
We speculate that it is entirely possible that a similar phenomenon exists in penguin species, including Adélie penguins, which have complex social lives in colonies, » the researchers wrote.
💡 Resources & References
Independent.co.uk, via: Antarctic penguins recognize themselves in mirrors, suggesting they belong to a small group of self-aware animals.