Morgan BellAnimal communication
June 14th 2006 15:21
Talking animals have tantalised human imagination since our very beginnings. Ancient myths and legends feature animal gods and creatures like satyrs, while more recent fairytales tell of animals who act, talk and feel like humans.
We all know that animals do communicate, be it through body language, pheromones (smell), or sound. For example, some insects chirp to signal potential mates. Dogs wag their tails when they are happy. Chimpanzees greet each other by touching hands. Whales leap out of the water to signal other whales. These communication abilities are a product of a range of influences, including evolution, genetics, environment and experiences. Domesticated animals, such as animals living in a circus, for example, can thus be expected to possess a larger set of communication skills than those living in the wild, simply because they are continually exposed to an environment that offers new opportunities for both learning and training.
Horses, for example, are known to be able to communicate with a range of sounds including snorts, blows, sighs, whinnies, nickers and squeals. A current project may soon allow “horse talk” to be interpreted, making horse whispering a far more common talent. The study, called the Equine Vocalization Project is conducted by physicist David Browning of the University of Rhode Island and Peter Scheifeleof the University of Connecticut. The project aims to compile a database of sounds made by horses and their corresponding behaviour to correlate “horse talk” with differences in their stress levels.
According to Discovery Science: “When [horses] are stressed, their vocalizations peak into a high-pitched screams; when they are calm, their whinnies modulate in the middle tones … But scientists are still not sure if the changes in frequency can be connected to more specific conditions.”
A previous study on dolphins suggested that they not only communicate on a basic level, but also have names!
The New Scientist reported in May: “Bottlenose dolphins appear to whistle their "names" to each other … this type of referential communication is extremely rare in nature, and until now had not been clearly shown in a non-human animal.”
A separate study, called The Dolphin Communication Project observes dolphins in Japan, Honduras, and The Bahamas and attempts to shed more light on the meaning of their interactions.
The project’s website states: “Dolphins are long-lived social creatures that require a lifetime dedication to learning more about the complexities of their social structure. The fact that we can observe these aquatic mammals under water has provided a wealth of information. We are beginning to understand some of the subtle complexities and intricacies of their society.”
Here’s another cute little website about zoosemiotics (the study of animal communication). No guarantees on scientific value though.
(image from flickr.com)
We all know that animals do communicate, be it through body language, pheromones (smell), or sound. For example, some insects chirp to signal potential mates. Dogs wag their tails when they are happy. Chimpanzees greet each other by touching hands. Whales leap out of the water to signal other whales. These communication abilities are a product of a range of influences, including evolution, genetics, environment and experiences. Domesticated animals, such as animals living in a circus, for example, can thus be expected to possess a larger set of communication skills than those living in the wild, simply because they are continually exposed to an environment that offers new opportunities for both learning and training.
There's a little of Mr. Ed in every horse
According to Discovery Science: “When [horses] are stressed, their vocalizations peak into a high-pitched screams; when they are calm, their whinnies modulate in the middle tones … But scientists are still not sure if the changes in frequency can be connected to more specific conditions.”
A previous study on dolphins suggested that they not only communicate on a basic level, but also have names!
The New Scientist reported in May: “Bottlenose dolphins appear to whistle their "names" to each other … this type of referential communication is extremely rare in nature, and until now had not been clearly shown in a non-human animal.”
A separate study, called The Dolphin Communication Project observes dolphins in Japan, Honduras, and The Bahamas and attempts to shed more light on the meaning of their interactions.
The project’s website states: “Dolphins are long-lived social creatures that require a lifetime dedication to learning more about the complexities of their social structure. The fact that we can observe these aquatic mammals under water has provided a wealth of information. We are beginning to understand some of the subtle complexities and intricacies of their society.”
Here’s another cute little website about zoosemiotics (the study of animal communication). No guarantees on scientific value though.
(image from flickr.com)
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