動物是聰慧靈巧的眾生

It has been a common belief in our society that fish are non-intelligent beings. This theory is rapidly changing since new research shows that fish are actually socially intelligent creatures that do not deserve the reputation of “dim-wits” of the animal kingdom and instead they are cunning and even cultured.

Researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh， St. Andrews and Leeds in the UK have gathered together powerful evidence that puts a stop to the image of fish as “pea-brains” with a “three-second” memory.

Scientists observed that fish recognized individual “shoal mates” and respect the social prestige of others. It has also been found that they use tools to build complex nests and exhibit long-term memory.

In some areas of cognition， marine animals are comparable to apes and monkeys， the most extraordinary example being the dolphin. Acrobatic performances by a school of dolphins may be widely perceived as a sequence of well-rehearsed actions. Certainly， the dolphins may be following instructions， but they are able to spontaneously accomplish the details of each action by themselves. They choreograph their own dances. That is to say， the dolphins must communicate among themselves in advance in order to put on a synchronized performance. Animal intelligence may be measured by dividing the weight of the brain by that of the body. The result places dolphins next to human beings and much higher than non-human primates on this measuring scale.

A recent study by British scientists showed that many animals are much more intelligent than previously imagined. In a facial recognition test， a lamb was able to distinguish repeatedly faces projected on a television screen. Studies also show that just like chimpanzees， pigs can also control the joystick in front of a computer screen. They can be trained to master action skills within shorter timeframes than dogs require. Some pigs can serve as watchdogs， and some are even capable of detecting landmines with their noses because they have a highly developed smelling faculty. In some parts of France， farmers rely on pigs to harvest truffles， a very expensive edible fungus that grows underground.

British scientists also observed chickens learning to adjust the temperature regulator in the barn. An American scientist studying the social behavior of chickens found that a rooster clucks to tell the hens that he has found food， and expresses his opinion of it by uttering sounds of different pitches. When he sees food that he likes， he bursts into a series of quick clucks and the hens gather rapidly to enjoy it. However， if only ordinary feed is given， the rooster issues slow clucks to indicate his disappointment， attracting only half of the hens. Scientists studying birds also discovered that many of them are very intelligent. Crows， for example， are very clever in their reliance on human strength. For instance， they place nuts they cannot crack on busy roadways， so that the traffic cracks the nuts for them.

Researchers noticed that a cow looks very excited when it has learned new things. Experienced dairy farmers also found that cows have color preferences. This animal is very similar to humans in social behavior； they care about each other， and even raise their young the way humans do. Calves， like human babies， act childishly to attract the attention of their mothers.

According to Dr. Jane Goodall， who is devoted to studying chimpanzees， intelligence assessments indicate that livestock are smart animals， and therefore should not be consumed by humans. When she realized this fact， she immediately stopped eating meat， stressing that human beings should minimize their meat consumption.

大部分的人認為海洋中的魚類，智商一定很低，可是現在新的研究正快速推翻這種看法。研究顯示魚類具有社會智商，非常靈巧，甚至很有教養，不應被視為動物界里的「低能兒」。

英國愛丁堡（Edinburgh）、圣安德魯斯（St. Andrews）和利茲（Leeds）三所大學的研究員已經收集到有力的證據，足以破除人們對魚類的刻板印象認為它們記憶力只有三秒鐘，是腦袋只有豌豆大的笨蛋。

科學家觀察到魚類可以識別各自的魚群伙伴，也尊重其它魚群的社會威望，他們同時發現魚類會使用工具，修筑結構復雜的巢穴，而且擁有長期的記憶力。

在某些認知領域，海洋生物甚至可以和猿猴類動物相媲美，其中最特殊也最常見的例子，莫過于海豚。一群海豚所表演的雜技，可能讓許多人認為這是預先充分排練的結果。它們的確按照指示進行，可是動作的細節則完全由海豚即興完成。它們自己會編舞，也就是說，海豚必須自己事先相互溝通，這樣它們的表演才能協調一致。評估動物的智商，可以采用頭腦的重量除以身體的重量來衡量，結果海豚是僅次于人類的動物，比接近人類的猿猴類高出許多。

英國科學家最近進行的一項研究顯示，許多動物要比我們先前想象的還要聰明。在一項臉部的識別測試中，一頭綿羊能夠反復識別出投影在電視屏幕上的面孔。他們在一系列的研究中還發現，豬能夠像黑猩猩一樣操作計算機屏幕前的操縱桿。經過訓練后，豬可以精通各種技巧動作，而且受訓時間比狗還要短。有些豬還可以當看門豬，有的甚至能用鼻子嗅出埋在地底下的地雷，因為豬擁有極其發達的嗅覺。在法國某些地區的地表下，生長一種價格非常昂貴的松露（truffe；食用菌類植物），當地的農民把豬當作采收這些松露的得力助手。

英國的科學家還發現，雞可以學會調整雞棚里的溫度控制器。另一位研究雞社會行為的美國科學家也觀察到，公雞不僅用「咯咯」聲告訴母雞它找到了食物，而且還以不同的聲調表達它對食物的評價。當公雞看見它喜歡的食物時，會用急促的「咯咯」聲通知母雞，所有的母雞都會聞聲趕來分享食物。但是若只給雞一般的食物，公雞只會緩慢地發出「咯咯」聲，表示失望，最后只有一半的母雞應聲而來。研究鳥類的科學家也發現，許多鳥兒都非常聰明，以烏鴉為例，它們就善于利用人類的力量。譬如烏鴉會將自己無法咬開的堅果放在繁忙的十字路口，讓經過的車輛替它們輾碎。

研究人員也發現，母牛在學會新事物后，會表現得很興奮。經營農場多年的酪農也注意到牛很喜歡不同的色彩，牛的社會行為相當接近人類，彼此也會互相關心照顧，甚至母牛教育小牛的方式就像人類的媽媽帶小孩一樣，小牛也像人類的幼兒一樣會撒嬌，來吸引母親的注意。

一直致力于黑猩猩研究的珍古德博士（Dr. Jane Goodall）認為，家畜的智商測試表明，它們是有智慧的動物，所以不應該被人類吃掉。當她了解到這一點時，就不再吃肉了，她強調人類應該盡可能不吃肉。