Do Animals Understand The Past?
Recent studies show that there are fewer and fewer differences between humans and animals, especially when it comes to emotions. For example, empathy, grief or justice are feelings that animals seem to understand. However, there are still many uncertainties regarding this topic. In this article we will try to answer the question: Do animals understand the past?
Do animals understand the past?
While some animals have been widely shown to be able to plan for the future or learn from the past, it has never been shown that they understand the past and can communicate this feeling. Only recently has a team of scholars been able to observe this behavior in orangutans.
Many behaviors of these primates seem to show that animals understand the past to a greater or lesser extent. Orangutans are Asian great apes that live in the jungles of South Asia and like other great apes are the most human-like primates.
Since it cannot physically defend itself from the tiger, an intelligent animal like the orangutan needs specific strategies against one of the largest predators on the planet. Because of this, orangutans emit a kiss-like sound, which warns their fellow humans of impending danger and urges them to seek refuge.
This very form of communication could be proof that these animals understand the past. In fact, a team of researchers has found that this verse is used in contexts where tigers are not present. So why use an alarm that warns of the presence of tigers when they are not there?
Many animals use warning noises: a clear example is the incredible communication of the green monkey. However, this is the first time this alarm has been used once the danger has been overcome, which could show that these animals understand the past and are able to communicate it.
How did the experiment develop?
To discover this curious behavior, a researcher disguised himself as a tiger and traveled to the jungle to try to get close to the female orangutans. Meanwhile, the other researchers observed the behavior of the primates. As soon as they became aware of the presence of one of the most feared predators, several specimens grabbed their young and walked away, sometimes showing signs of stress.
On many occasions these animals did not issue the alert with the tiger present, but waited for the animal to move away, completely losing the alleged function of the alert. In one specific case, an hour had passed from the tiger’s arrival to the call: researchers believe the mother was warning her young of the narrow escape.
This adds an interesting new discovery to the cognitive abilities of orangutans and other great apes. The fact that these animals understand the past and can communicate it is something very surprising that has only been seen in humans.
Once again, it must be recognized that animals have great intelligence and open the big question about the existence of non-human people.
