The Adelie penguin has been tested with the “mirror test,” which shows that they possess self-awareness and a high level of social behavior.
Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) is the latest species to be included in experiments using the “mirror test.”
Adelie penguin passing the mirror test. (Photo: Dastidar).
The results were surprising, as the penguins displayed distinctive communication gestures, indicating they understood that the image in the mirror was merely an illusion, not another penguin.
“The penguins tested focused on their reflections and performed several unique gestures,” the report stated.
Prabir G. Dastidar, an Indian scientist and the lead researcher, noted that penguins are highly social animals.
However, they did not attempt to interact or display any aggressive behavior towards their reflected images.
This suggests that they perhaps “know” to some extent that the bird in the mirror is neither a friend nor a foe.
Moreover, when they were “marked” with a red bib, the penguins did not react to the change in their appearance.
“Our preliminary tests suggest that Adelie penguins have self-awareness,” Dastidar stated. “This is evident through their reactions to their own image in the mirror.”
Adelie penguin. (Photo: eBird).
Adelie penguins are distributed along the entire Antarctic coastline, with approximately 38 populations and more than 5 million individuals recorded living on Ross Island.
They are slightly smaller than other penguin species, such as the emperor penguin.
The most distinctive feature of this species is the white ring around their eyes and the feathers at the base of their beak. Additionally, they also have longer tails compared to other penguin species.
Adelie penguins are known for their high social behavior. They often forage for food and nest together.
Created in the 1970s by Gordon Gallup, the mirror test has become a familiar experiment to demonstrate self-awareness in animals. This method involves placing a mirror in front of an animal and then observing how they react to their reflection. Each animal species will respond to its reflection in different ways. From this, scientists can determine whether they recognize that it is themselves. Many highly social animal species have failed this test, including monkeys and gorillas. Not only that, even humans face similar challenges. An experiment has shown that children under six years old may not pass the mirror test. |
