Watch out Red Riding Hood!
If a wolf is watching, don’t look in the direction of the chickens hiding in the coop. Wolves know to follow a human’s gaze to find hidden objects, according to recent research.
Following the gaze of another creature can be vitally important in the wild. It can tell an animal where prey is, or the direction of a threat. But figuring out that there might be something hidden behind what another animal is staring at takes talent. Scientists consider it to be a more advanced thought process, previously seen in only a few animals, such as humans, chimpanzees and ravens.
It was even found that captive-raised wolves would detour around an obstacle if it was in another wolf’s or even a human’s line-of-sight. If there was nothing interesting there, the wolves stopped responding to repeated looks!
Wow!
In their next study researchers will ask:
Do they know we know they know where the chickens are hiding?
[Image via WENN.]