Giraffes are capable of performing simple arithmetic calculations mentally
- Giraffes have demonstrated the ability to add small numbers for the first time.
- The experiment was conducted by scientists from Germany and Spain.
- Animals successfully solved tasks involving up to seven items.
The ability to perceive and manipulate small numbers is not only known to humans. Over the past few decades, biologists have observed that many species, from primates to insects, exhibit basic numerical skills that allow them to distinguish quantities, compare them, and even perform simple operations.
Among the most studied primates, for example, chimpanzees demonstrate the ability to add up to four symbols using visual cues. Bees can assess the number of flowers on plants, while corvids solve tasks that require comparing numbers. A particular interest was raised by an African grey parrot named Alex, who, under the guidance of scientists, was able to perform arithmetic operations with numbers up to eight.
A study involving giraffes
In a new experiment conducted by joint efforts of research groups from the University of Göttingen (Germany) and the Institute of Biology of Cádiz (Spain), the focus was on giraffes – the largest land mammals, previously not associated with numerical abilities. The scientists developed a series of tasks in which the animals were asked to choose from two sets of treats the one with a greater number of items, and then combine the results in simple addition.
Visual markers were used for control, but at key stages, the giraffes had to remember the number obtained in the first part and add it to the number from the second part without prompts. In doing so, the researchers excluded the possibility of counting by time, relying on memory and an internal representation of quantity.
The results showed that most subjects successfully solved tasks with sums up to seven items. The giraffes consistently chose the correct set of treats, demonstrating that they are capable of retaining small numerical quantities in memory and performing addition 'in their heads'.
These findings confirm that numerical perception in animals is much broader than previously thought. The ability for mental addition in giraffes places them alongside primates and some birds, expanding the boundaries of understanding the cognitive abilities of mammals.
Scientists emphasize that such abilities may have evolutionary significance: in the wild, the ability to quickly assess the quantity of food or competitors can increase survival chances. The discovery also opens new perspectives for studying the brain architecture in large herbivores and comparing it with the brains of primates.
In the future, it is planned to expand the experiment by including more complex arithmetic tasks and checking how stable the obtained results are under changing conditions. It is expected that further research will help clarify which neural mechanisms underlie numerical thinking in giraffes and how similar they are to those observed in humans.
Source: N+1
