Imagine taking a test and every time you pass, they change
the rules to ensure you fail.
Through the years, scientists have made non-human animals go through a variety
of tests* to determine their intelligence (of course, who are we to judge their
intelligence?), their memory, and whether or not they are self-aware—that is,
their ability to recognize themselves as individuals, a test often performed
with a mirror.
Some of these studies have been instrumental in “proving”
intelligence for non-human animals who are similar to us (like primates) and “charismatic”
(such as dolphins and elephants). Their intelligence and even their ability to
grieve seem to be fairly common knowledge.
Unfortunately, this is not the case when it comes to people
understanding that these same traits are exemplified in those animals some
people eat – such as pigs, who are said to be smarter than dogs, and sheep, who can
recognize human faces.
However, what happens when a little blue-and black-fish passes the test to
prove that they too are self-aware?
According to Quanta Magazine: https://www.quantamagazine.org/a-self-aware-fish-raises-doubts-about-a-cognitive-test-20181212/
A little blue-and-black
fish swims up to a mirror. It [sic] maneuvers its [sic] body vertically to
reflect its[sic] belly, along with a brown mark that researchers have placed on
its [sic] throat. The fish then pivots and dives to strike its [sic] throat
against the sandy bottom of its [sic] tank with a glancing blow. Then it [sic]
returns to the mirror.
And then there’s this from the same article:
Jordan’s findings have
consequently inspired strong feelings in the field. “There are researchers who,
it seems, do not want fish to be included in this secret club,” he said.
“Because then that means that the [primates] are not so special anymore.”
If a fish passes the
mirror test, Jordan said, “either you have to accept that the fish is
self-aware, or you have to accept that maybe this test is not testing for
that.” The correct explanation may be a little of both. Some animals’ mental
skills may be more impressive than we imagined, while the mirror test may say
less than we thought. Moving forward in our understanding of animal minds might
mean shattering old ideas about the mirror test and designing new experiments
that consider each species’ unique perspective on the world.
There are a couple of things I want to unpack here. First, I
am not so sure that the researchers in question are only concerned that
primates aren’t so special anymore – I believe that any acceptance of fishes
being self-aware could make many people not want to eat them anymore. Accepting
fishes are aware of what is going on around them means we must accept they are
feeling the pain of a hook, the frustration of being caught in a net, and the
suffocation of being pulled into the air.
Second, why is there sudden concern that there is something
wrong with the test? Why can’t this little fish prove what many of us have been
saying all along (without needing to do testing): these are feeling, sentient
beings who deserve our protection?
I am beside myself these days with fear about what we are doing to our planet,
our ocean specifically, and how much we are impacting those who live beneath
the waves.
Understandably, people who love sea creatures like whales, sea turtles, and dolphins
are heartbroken when they see the frequent regular reports of these animals
caught in nets and hooks. One way to protect them is to not contribute to the
demand that requires those nets and the hooks – don’t eat sea creatures. If not
for the fishes, lobsters, crabs, shrimps, and other animals, then for the lives
of the larger animals who will be trapped.
We are all connected, and to me that means we have a responsibility to protect
one another from harm.
When I think of all of the colors, life, and unbelievable
beauty living in the ocean, my heart feels so full of love and wonder.
We can all watch videos of whales and dolphins playing in the ocean and smile lovingly
at otters and sea lions, but unless we stop consuming those who live there and
stop polluting their world, we stand to lose all of them.
And when we decorate our homes with images of the ocean, it will end up just being
a part of a world we destroyed.
Everything is connected, and we need to fight for the ocean** now.
*I am opposed to all animal testing, but that is not the
reason for this blog.
** I
say “ocean” as singular here, as I feel to recognize different oceans is
arbitrary, because they are all one and the same. The animals don’t see
boundaries when they swim from one ocean to another. It is one large body of
water, and we need to protect all of it.
