Inside Animal Minds

For centuries, humans had a low estimate of animal intelligence (consider the derogatory phrase "bird brains"). However, continuing research has revealed that many animals are able to use tools, solve puzzles, play games, grasp the consequences of cause and effect, anticipate actions and rewards, share food, and sympathize with or deceive other members of their kind. This three-part PBS-aired NOVA documentary series from filmmakers Graham Russell, Matt Barrett, and Andrew Thompson studies crows, bees, dolphins, dogs, and elephants, discovering new clues to the inner workings of animal thinking. Key questions revolve around the differences between intelligence and instinct. Crows, ravens, and cockatoos, for example, can trip locks or use hooked sticks to reach food—repeating steps or changing strategies if necessary. These birds display an ability to think flexibly, unlike bees, who use a "waggle dance" to calculate distances and then communicate the location of nourishment to hive members—an ancient form of instinctive behavior. Some animals think ahead, anticipating needs by "caching," i.e., hiding food for future consumption. Interestingly, dogs can be fooled and score lower on problem solving because of their intense concentration on human owners, which leads them to look for visual cues from us rather than focusing on the problem at hand. Researchers also stress the importance of living in groups as a spur to intelligence, most notably in the case of apes, dolphins, and elephants. While there is still much we don't know—such as why elephants gather and "mourn" over elephant skulls, while mostly ignoring the carcasses of other dead animals—the fact that we share intelligence traits with other species should make us feel more empathetic with our fellow creatures. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)