Elephants possess the ability of self-identification

Scientists established that the elephants learn themselves in the mirror. Thus, they entered into the club of the realizing themselves animals, members of which are the highest primates and dolphins.

According to the psychologist from the university Of emori to Atlanta, the complex social life of the elephants, noted for their altruistic behavior and with the large size of the brain, made these animals logical candidates for checking of realization.

Mirror was placed in the cages of elephants in the zoo Of bronks in New York, in which be situated three inhabitants. The first question was, do greet they reflection, as if they meet another animal. However, elephants did not be mistaken, and was used mirror in order to examine its own reflection. For example, they moved aside trunk to the side in order to look around the internal cavity of mouth.

In contrast to the previous studies, this is the first experiment with the use of an enormous mirror, which allowed elephants to concern its surface, to rub and to be turned to it by back.

The attempt to look to itself from the back is one additional indicator of self-consciousness. One of the elephants passed the test, when it touched the mark on the tail end of the head after it looked into the mirror.