A new study suggests that beluga whales may be able to recognize themselves in mirrors, a trait linked to self-awareness and previously thought to be uniquely human.
Researchers at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s New York Aquarium observed two beluga whales, Natasha and her daughter Maris, at the New York Aquarium where a two-way mirror was installed to better understand the species’ cognitive abilities.
According to For the study published on May 20The whales appear to closely study their reflections, blow bubbles, and examine features such as their faces and teeth, behaviors that scientists say are consistent with self-recognition.
“Here it’s like a light bulb goes on when they figure out that’s me,” said Diana Rees, a marine mammal scientist and cognitive psychologist based in New York.
Scientists don’t fully understand what drives this ability, but it appears to be linked to traits such as having a large brain relative to body size, Rees said.
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Self-recognition has been observed in only a select group of animals, including bottlenose dolphins, Asian elephants, magpies, and great apes.
Scientists say this ability is typically found in highly intelligent, social and empathic species, including humans.
The findings were no surprise to Valeria Vergara, a British Columbia-based cetacean biologist with the Raincoast Conservation Foundation.
“Every time we kind of discover a new dimension to beluga perception or social complexity, it increases the risk of what we might lose if we don’t protect them,” she told Global News.
Canada is home to some of the largest beluga populations, including those in the St. Lawrence River, where they are endangered.
Threats such as noise pollution in the oceans can interfere with whales’ communication systems, which are fundamental to their complex social structure, Vergara said.
Researchers say a better understanding of animal cognition could encourage greater efforts to protect species at risk.
