Our abilities have always been taken for granted, and we have always thought that we are the only ones to possess them. Very few of us have ever stopped and wondered about our skills, how they came to be, and whether we are the only species to have them. One of these things which you probably haven’t been wondering about is our ability to recognise other human faces. Well, you may be surprised to know that dogs, sheep, bees and even fish can do it. So… is it only we, humans, who can do this? Or are there other animals who can also do this? This article will explore this topic, covering some who can recognise our faces.
Dogs and Cats
While both dogs and cats can identify humans, a study has shown that dogs may rely more heavily on facial recognition. According to a study, 12 pure-breed beagles and 12 domestic cats were assigned a different human handler, who worked with them for 6 months, 2 hours each day. At approximately 9 months of age, the animals were tested on 4 visual discriminations, each consisting of 50 different trials.
During the trials, they were given a picture of an unfamiliar face and the face of their handler. The dogs chose their handler 88.2% of the time, while the cats chose them 54.5%. They were also tested on a familiar natural scene and an unfamiliar one, along with familiar and unfamiliar faces of animals. However, the source notes that the only key difference was in the first trial with their handlers' faces. Additionally, cats may still be able to recognise humans, nevertheless, as they can use different senses, such as smell, to identify their handlers.
Fish
When researchers tested fish, they were met with a challenge. Fish, at the most, could only stare blankly at their handlers. They wouldn’t be able to lick photos. They wouldn’t be able to sniff at a photo. They most definitely couldn’t point at photos. So what did they do? The answer was Archerfish. Archerfish are a type of fish that lives in swamps. One of the key differences they have to other fish species is that they squirt water at insects to knock them into the water so that they can eat them.
Researchers took advantage of this, by teaching the fish to squirt into human faces instead, in return for a food reward. They found that the fish could correctly pick out a familiar face about 80% of the time. So… You’ll probably not look at fish the same way again.
Bees
Bees can recognise faces, but there’s a bit more to the story, says David Tarpy - a professor of applied ecology at North Carolina State University, as well as a beekeeping expert. A study done in Cambridge in 2004 had already proven that bees were good at learning. The researchers set up a reward system with the bees (with honey), and proved, that though bees do not need this in everyday lives, they do have the ability to recognise faces. Interviews with beekeepers have also proved that bees may get extra active, or perform certain actions when their beekeepers walk down to where they are buzzing. Even then, it’s important to note that bees do not have good eyesight and primarily rely on their sense of smell.
Sheep
According to a study, sheep have demonstrated the ability to recognise human faces. Researchers at the University of Cambridge have trained sheep to recognise the faces of actors Jake Gyllenhaal and Emma Watson, as well as former US president Barack Obama and Fiona Bruce (BBC Newsreader). The sheep chose photos of familiar faces significantly more than unfamiliar ones. However, previous studies had already concluded this, so the researchers set them a new task: To see whether they could identify the same celebrities but from different angles. The performance was significantly above chance.
Finally, they showed the sheep images of the people. After an outstanding performance, scientists concluded that their ability rivalled monkeys, apes, and even humans. The research is now published in the Royal Society journal Open Science.
Benefits
There is a wide range of benefits for animals ability to recognise human faces. Some of these include:
For domestic animals such as dogs, their high rate of being able to identify their handlers may help them to identify unfamiliar faces, which is useful during training or when seeking food from their handlers.
Though other animals do not need this ability, it shows that they have learning capabilities which help them to adjust to a new environment or to help them with their daily lives.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we humans aren’t the only ones who have the unique features we have. There are many things on the planet, which may not be what it seems - who could have dreamed that some animals possess similar intelligence when it comes to facial recognition? As they say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. All you need to look at is Archerfish, who look as if they aren’t capable of anything, and bees, who can identify faces despite limited ability to see. There are many more animals out there who are like this - so, stay informed and stay inspired.
Citations
Lomber, S. G., & Cornwell, P. (2005). Dogs, but not cats, can readily recognize the face of their handler [Abstract]. Journal of Vision, 5(8), 49–49a. https://doi.org/10.1167/5.8.49
Comments
Post a Comment