17 replies to this topic

[Saru]

New research suggests that black bears are surprisingly adept at performing numerical calculations.

National Geographic said:

The new research shows for the first time that "bears and other animals that have been neglected by cognitive scientists . . . may show abilities similar to species more like humans," study co-author Jennifer Vonk, a comparative psychologist at the University of Oakland in Rochester, Michigan, said by email.

Read more...

[Eldorado]

Not news to me, I'm afraid.  I saw Yogi back in the day and both he and his pal Boo-Boo could walk, talk and count as good as any old boy.

[King Fluffs]

I like bears.

[Simbi Laveau]

and the US govt lets morons shoot them .

[Eldorado]

Simbi Laveau, on 03 September 2012 - 03:35 PM, said:

and the US govt lets morons shoot them .

Rather the bears than themselves.  

[Simbi Laveau]

Eldorado, on 03 September 2012 - 03:38 PM, said:

Rather the bears than themselves.  

http://www.outdoorsm...k_Bear_Hunting/

They slaughter these animals,for prizes and trophies. I would rather they shot one another,and saved the world from them reproducing,and making stupid offspring.
Sorry ,but I hate people who do this .

[notoverrated]

bears are pretty cool.

[ThickasaBrick]

Another example of the intelligence of animals. Win, another, one for nature!

[Junior Chubb]

They're 'bear' clever ya know, innit...  

[Likely Guy]

Simbi Laveau, on 03 September 2012 - 04:00 PM, said:

http://www.outdoorsm...k_Bear_Hunting/

They slaughter these animals,for prizes and trophies. I would rather they shot one another,and saved the world from them reproducing,and making stupid offspring.
Sorry ,but I hate people who do this .

I also have a huge problem with trophy hunting. Don't kill it if you aren't going to eat it.

Back to the cleverness and adaptability of bears. I had to take a 'Bear Aware' course for work a while back and I saw two amazing pieces of video.

The first was a young black bear sow that somehow lost both front legs when it was young. It solved that problem by simply standing upright and walking on it's hind legs. This was a wild bear mind you, not in a sanctuary or zoo. It really looked like a sasquatch when it 'walked'.

The second was also a black bear that learned how to turn it's front paw upwards to open pick-up doors to get the lunches inside. It was shot at a northern energy/mineral exploration camp. The thing of it is, is that's how 'bear proof' garbage cans are supposed to work! Bears are apparently unable to turn their paws 'palm up'. Someone obviously forgot to tell that guy, and now he's probably teaching other bears how to do it.

As far as actual 'counting', I don't know.

Edited by Likely Guy, 04 September 2012 - 12:52 AM.

[B Jenkins]

I am in awe of and admire the power and beauty of bears. Now, I learn they can count?! Awesome!

[QuiteContrary]

Casey Anthony (friend of Brutus the Grizzly) said brown bears were second? or third? in animal intelligence.

About shooting bears. The real lazy hunters bait them with donuts and then shoot at them like fish in a barrel. Even the small "dog" bears. Just to claim they bagged a bear.

[3.0]

One Bee, Oww; two Bee Oww...

[Abramelin]

Counting Crows:

A farmer in England found that every day he went in his blind in the field, the crows would stay away. But once he had left, they would fly into the fields and feed. He brought a friend with him one day to follow him into the blind, thinking the crows would spot one of them leaving and then come down to eat at the crops, thinking that no one was watching.

But the crows knew that a second man was still in the blind. The next day they tried it with another man, then another. The crows counted and subtracted. They knew that someone was still waiting for them in the blind. It was only after they reached 16 men that the crows lost count.

http://cappers.grit....le.aspx?id=8719


.

Edited by Abramelin, 04 September 2012 - 06:58 AM.

[CRIPTIC CHAMELEON]

Junior Chubb, on 03 September 2012 - 11:44 PM, said:

They're 'bear' clever ya know, innit...  

Oh God I can't bear it anymore.