Scientists have found that otters can learn from each other, but they still prefer to solve some puzzles on their own.
Semi-aquatic mammals are known to be very social and intelligent creatures, but a study by the University of Exeter has given a new view of their intellect.
Researchers gave the otters “puzzle boxes,” some of which contained known foods, while others contained unknown natural prey: shore crabs and blue mussels, which are protected by hard shells.
As for known foods (meatballs, one of the favorites of Asian short-clawed otters in the study), scientists had five different types of boxes, and the method of extracting food changed in each version, e.g. , pulling a tab or opening a flap. .
The unknown food presented additional problems because the otters did not know if the crab and mussels were safe to eat and had no experience to get them out of the shell.
To decide if food was safe and desirable to eat, the otters, who live at Newquay Zoo and the Tamar Otter and Wildlife Center, watched as their companions inspected what was in the boxes and copied if the other otters they made a sample of the delights.
However, they spent more time trying to figure out how to get the meat out of their shells on their own and relied less on the actions of their peers. Of the 20 otters in the study, 11 were able to extract meat from all three types of natural prey.
“Much of the research on extractive feeding and the learning abilities of otters has focused on artificial food puzzles,” said lead author Alex Saliveros of the Center for Ecology and Conservation. Penryn campus of Exeter in Cornwall.
“Here, we were interested in researching these skills in the context of unknown natural prey, as well as in relation to artificial food puzzles.”
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Before the test, the team studied the social groups of the otters, that is, they knew how well they knew each other. They then measured social learning to see if close associates learn quickly from each other.
Other animals use social learning to decide what is safe to eat; rats, for example, prefer new types of food that have smelled the breath of other rats.
Scientists hope that understanding how otters deal with food unknown in their natural environment can help them train animals to survive in nature, if captive-bred otters are to be released to help with conservation programs.
“Captive otters in this study initially struggled with natural prey, but showed that they can learn how to extract food,” Salliveros said. “Our findings suggest that if you provide pre-launch training for an otter, you can pass on some of that information to others.”