Feature:
Sharks Surprisingly Sociable
“…Of all the creatures in the animal
kingdom, a shark is the one that just about everybody is likely to avoid. But
of the 400 or so shark species swimming in the oceans, just 3 or 4 attack
humans.
The study analyzed 10 groups of 10
small spotted catsharks, monitoring their interaction in 3 environments. It
showed that some sharks…enjoy each others company, congregating in groups sometimes lying on top of each other to rest. But other sharks were loners,
staying away from any group.
The study adds to a body of work
that shows animals display not just character traits, but individual
personalities, & possibly even emotion, too…
William Hughes, an animal behavior
expert at the University
of Sussex, says… ‘What we mean by animal personality is consistency of individual behavioral traits over
time & across contexts…
It would appear that some small spotted
catsharks, which have the appearance of super-sized tadpoles, like to hang out
with their friends. Others…just want some peace & quiet away from the dance
floor.’
A similar experiment by Jean Sebastien
Finger, a biologist in the Bahamas,
monitored lemon sharks & found that while some were novelty seekers, others
were less keen to explore. ‘They are not machines, they have personalities,’
Finger said.
Hughes adds that scientists are
increasingly confident that animals from insects to primates, display complex
personalities. The University
of Bordeaux, for
instance, found that freshwater crayfish display anxiety, hiding in the dark
corners of a tank, rather than brightly lit parts.”
Harry Wallop
LONDON DAILY TELEGRAPH
The Montreal Gazette
Oct. 4/2014
Cute Critter Pic
Weekly Chuckle
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