Biologists at Monash University in Australia discovered that giraffes with small brains relative to their bodies are capable of reasoning statistically. study published magazine scientific reports
So far, primates and birds have been the only animals to show this ability. This is believed to be due to the size of the brain, which is large relative to the size of the body.
In past studies, giraffes have demonstrated quantitative discrimination (the ability to distinguish more from less), and their social systems and diet breadth have been associated with complex cognition.
In the current study, the scientists used zucchini and carrots to see if these animals could perform statistical calculations. Giraffes love carrots. Working with four giraffes, the researchers placed carrot and zucchini slices in varying proportions in clear containers.
The authors wanted to test whether they could predict whether giraffes were more likely to get carrots in three tests with different amounts of treats in the containers. Each test consisted of 20 trials, in which the researcher selected a piece of food from each container without showing the giraffe. The giraffe then touched the hand it wanted to eat using only the knowledge of the number of carrots and zucchini in the containers.
The first test assumed that the correct response of the animal would be to choose a bowl with more carrots but less zucchini (the number was random). In the second test, both pots had the same amount of carrots, but one had fewer pieces of zucchini. And for the third time, scientists scatter the goodies in reverse. Giraffes have always chosen for themselves the most useful option – with plenty of carrots.
The results suggest that a relatively large brain is not required for the development of complex statistical skills, at least in vertebrates. What’s more, the authors suggest that the ability to make statistical inferences may actually be common in the animal kingdom.