Animal Intelligence

Fox News, of all places, is reporting that officials at a zoo in northern Thailand are hoping that “panda porn” will encourage animals in their possession to mate.

Chuang Chuang the panda has been spending his days in front of a big screen television watching panda porn. Authorities at the Chiang Mai Zoo in northern Thailand [...]

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Canaduck forward a story about a dog that saved its owner from choking:

Toby, a 2-year-old golden retriever, saw his owner choking on a piece of fruit and began jumping up and down on the woman’s chest. The dog’s owner believes the dog was trying to perform the Heimlich maneuver and saved her life.
Debbie Parkhurst, 45, [...]

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Nicole sent a story from the San Diego zoo that highlights bonobo intelligence, as well as just how far we have to go before we can communicate with them:

In an incident that is both heart-stopping and heartwarming, a pregnant bonobo at the San Diego Zoo bit off the tip of her keeper’s index finger Tuesday. [...]

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Will forward a video story about “the most amazing dog in the world”. This dog was born without forelegs — it has learned to walk erect in a bipedal fashion, just like you and me. Here’s some footage from The Montel Williams Show:

And here’s some footage from a local news station:

Thanks for sending this in, [...]

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As research into animal communication continues, scientists are gaining insight into the language of individual species. Recent research for example, has allowed scientists to delve into the language of whales, including different whale “dialects”. A recent article in Live Science explains:

Deep below the ocean’s surface, blue whales are singing — and for the first time, [...]

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Here’s an awesome article from New Scientist, and some video to go along with it.

In a revelation that destroys yet another cherished notion of human uniqueness, wild chimpanzees have been seen living in caves and hunting bushbabies with spears. It is the first time an animal has been seen using a tool to hunt a [...]

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Science News reports that researchers at the University of Cambridge have discovered that some birds have a concept of time that includes the future, and that they’re able to plan their meals accordingly.

The strongest evidence yet that animals plan ahead may come from western scrub jays preparing for their morning meals.
Plenty of animals perform actions [...]

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This morning’s USA Today has an extended feature on the recovery of wildlife in Cambodia. The story describes how the Wildlife Conservation Society has been working with the Cambodian government to protect native animals.

“It’s quite moving, I guess,” says Ed Pollard, the society’s technical adviser, standing in the dappled light beneath a canopy deep inside [...]

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