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Animal intelligence |
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#51 |
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Quote:
Slightly tongue-in-cheek, but bear in mind that we define intelligence, so we're bound to be a bit biased!
As such, if we see an animal mimicking a human behaviour, we say "Oooh ... isn't that clever!" Yeah, because a chimp has a fundamental need to dress up in dungarees and ride a tricycle! We also focus on what's important to us, and sometimes forget it might not be important to animals ... and vice versa! So, we can sit there congratulating ourselves on our brilliant intelligence having invented the Sat-Nav. Meanwhile, two swallows are sitting on a telephone wire watching a couple in a car arguing about which way they should turn at a junction, and thinking to themselves "FFS! We've just flown from Africa and found our way back to the exact spot we were last year! How dumb are these humans?" ![]()
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#52 |
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This one is about the mystery of exploding toads and where crows came into it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF903aLOAng This one is an 8 step puzzle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQQJkIJA-UI This is observation of Scrub Jays http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmpUoGKyyto All pretty remarkable.
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#53 |
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I saw a documentary about bees. In Japan I think it was. Anyway, these particular type of honey bees regularly have their hives targetted by giant hornets - who are after the larvae to eat. The hornets are much bigger and more powerful than the bees - and can kill them easily one after the other with their paralysing stings. The hornets go out on solo missions to find a hive. They will brazenly land at the entrance to the hive and pop inside to suss it out. If it looks good they will go back to their own nest with the message that they have found a juicy hive. Then hundreds of them will all head for the beehive - and on arrival will kill all the bees and carry off the larvae to feed their own.
The bees have somehow learned to deal with this. What they do is catch the scout hornet before it has a chance to return and fetch it's posse. On entering the nest the bees will siganl each other, and in unison they swarm the hornet. They know that some of them will be killed, and that their stings are useless against the hornet. So how do they kill it? They form a huge buzzing mound of bees around the hornet, and manouvre it into te middle of the ball. They continue to buzz as hard as they can, and this makes the temperature in the centre of the bee-ball start to rise. It reaches almost boiling point in the end - and the hornet dies from literally being heated to death. The bees can stand the higher temperature much better than the hornet. Some of them will then carry it off in flight, and drop it far from the nest - leaving no clues for any other hornets. They sacrifice themselves for the greater good. |
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#54 |
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I've seen that on a documentary too Armi - It's fascinating stuff!
![]() I love the 'hivemind' of certain insects, it's such an alien concept to us. |
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#55 |
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^That bee thing is bloody amazing
![]() I love this thread! |
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#56 |
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#57 |
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Quote:
This one is about the mystery of exploding toads and where crows came into it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF903aLOAng This one is an 8 step puzzle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQQJkIJA-UI This is observation of Scrub Jays http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmpUoGKyyto All pretty remarkable. ![]() ![]() I remember reading about the toads a while back. Corvids really are incredible.
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#58 |
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This made me want to cry. A Dolphin with a bloody fishing hook stuck in it's fin. HAPPY ENDING WARNING and a wonderful video. What amazing , clever creatures and of course, human divers.
![]() http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL9I4BxuryY Edit. I know Keyser they probably aren't up there at the top of your sea creature list but I love them. So there!
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#59 |
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The African honey badger is an amazing creature.
It'll enter a beehive for the honey and get stung so many times that it often passes out through the intoxication of the sting venom. But that's the only effect the venom has on it. It will sleep soundly in a state of honey and sting induced euphoria before waking up and lapping up the rest of the honeycomb. Fearless and fierce little chap too. |
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#60 |
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Quote:
The African honey badger is an amazing creature.
It'll enter a beehive for the honey and get stung so many times that it often passes out through the intoxication of the sting venom. But that's the only effect the venom has on it. It will sleep soundly in a state of honey and sting induced euphoria before waking up and lapping up the rest of the honeycomb. Fearless and fierce little chap too.
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#61 |
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Quote:
This made me want to cry. A Dolphin with a bloody fishing hook stuck in it's fin. HAPPY ENDING WARNING and a wonderful video. What amazing , clever creatures and divers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL9I4BxuryY I just want to thank everyone for their excellent and thoughtful contributions to this thread. ![]() Manta Rays have been known to ask for help from divers as well. I cannot find the link but in one case a Manta thanked one group by giving them all a free ride separately - taking each diver back and waiting for the next - one by one. ![]() These gentle giants have the most massive brains of any 'fishlike' vertebrate. They are one of the most beautiful animals on earth, but sadly the bastards who target sharks for finning are now wiping out this most peaceful of creatures, and all for a bowl of tasteless ****ing soup. ![]() http://www.mantarayofhope.com/learn/...-intelligence/ |
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#62 |
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Quote:
Lovely.
I just want to thank everyone for their excellent and thoughtful contributions to this thread. ![]() Manta Rays have been known to ask for help from divers as well. I cannot find the link but in one case a Manta thanked one group by giving them all a free ride separately - taking each diver back and waiting for the next - one by one. ![]() These gentle giants have the most massive brains of any 'fishlike' vertebrate. They are one of the most beautiful animals on earth, but sadly the bastards who target sharks for finning are now wiping out this most peaceful of creatures, and all for a bowl of tasteless ****ing soup. ![]() http://www.mantarayofhope.com/learn/...-intelligence/ |
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#63 |
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Thanks for that. How wonderful. When will mankind ever stop this senseless slaughter? I often wonder what this planet would be like if humans hadn't evolved with all their arrogance and ignorance. If you can find a link to the free ride video that would be appreciated. I'll also have a rootle around.
![]() It was some years ago now, but I expect that other mantas will have done the same.
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#64 |
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Quote:
This one is about the mystery of exploding toads and where crows came into it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF903aLOAng This one is an 8 step puzzle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQQJkIJA-UI This is observation of Scrub Jays http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmpUoGKyyto All pretty remarkable. ![]() on the 8 step puzzle.
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#65 |
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#66 |
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A Manta Ray allowing divers to help it. The injuries are awful.
Keller Laros has many excellent videos of their work. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtLlcACw20A |
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#67 |
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OMG, that last link is the funniest thing I've seen in a long time! Thanks!
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#68 |
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Jellyfish are clever too, one even managed to do what the majority of UK citizens have been wanting to do for years.
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#69 |
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A Manta Ray allowing divers to help it. The injuries are awful.
Keller Laros has many excellent videos of their work. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtLlcACw20A ![]() Just image the very largest species - up to 8 metres across - what a tremendous privilege to swim with such a majestic animal. I remember many years ago seeing a documentary (whose title escapes me) on Mantas and a group of divers who became very close friends with a particular individual. It did not end well though as some totally heartless fishermen caught and murdered the poor thing in the most brutal way possible. ![]() It was so sad.
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#70 |
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termites and the complex way their homes are constructed along with altering the design when it is necessary is impressive. They also have different designs a few miles apart indicating a distinct localised culture.
Something that is also interesting is the concept of hive mind (if that is what it is called) where, for example, you teach a number of chimps a skill and then chimps a number of miles away demonstrate that same skill despite not communicating directly with the original group and having not been taught. Anyone know anything about that? |
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#71 |
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termites and the complex way their homes are constructed along with altering the design when it is necessary is impressive. They also have different designs a few miles apart indicating a distinct localised culture.
I wonder if they have specialist "air-conditioning repair termites" who turn up two days late, scratch their nether regions, make a strange sucking noise and say "Dunno mate. Looks like it might cost quite a bit!" |
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#72 |
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#73 |
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The more I see of Mantas the more wonderful they appear.
![]() Just image the very largest species - up to 8 metres across - what a tremendous privilege to swim with such a majestic animal. I remember many years ago seeing a documentary (whose title escapes me) on Mantas and a group of divers who became very close friends with a particular individual. It did not end well though as some totally heartless fishermen caught and murdered the poor thing in the most brutal way possible. ![]() It was so sad. ![]() This room must be around 8 mtrs. in length. I can't imagine swimming with any creature of such a size. Their grace is awesome. |
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#74 |
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A gigantic school of Mobular Rays off Baja. Spectacular. They can reach 17 feet width and weigh up to a ton.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74mdJUaRNaA |
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#75 |
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Quote:
A gigantic school of Mobular Rays off Baja. Spectacular. They can reach 17 feet width and weigh up to a ton.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74mdJUaRNaA
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on the 8 step puzzle.