fish 'learn like humans'

http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/environment/scientists-claim-fish-learn-like-humans--$1304546.htm

Scientists claim fish 'learn like humans'

Wednesday, 17 Jun 2009 15:10
Scientists have claimed the way fish learn could be closer to humans than previously thought.


According to a study by St Andrews and Durham universities the
nine-spined stickleback can compare the behaviour of other sticklebacks
with their own experience and make a series of choices which can
potentially lead to better food supplies.


The discovery could be the first in showing an animal exhibiting an
important human social learning strategy, the report, published in the
journal Behavioural Ecology, claims.


Also in the news: 'Plot to use fish as murder weapon' foiled


The authors of study suggest the fish may even have an unusually
sophisticated social learning capability not yet found in other
animals, called a 'hill-climbing' strategy.


The ability of the sticklebacks to pick the best quality food patch
by comparing how successful others are at getting food compared to
their own personal experience certainly has not been shown before, they
write.


It's thought the fish may have been forced into developing the
ability to learn about where to feed due to their lack of protection
from predators. The scientists claim it may be the case they needed to
find where best to feed while hiding.


They also claim their findings show that the cognitive mechanisms
underlying cumulative cultural evolution may be more prevalent in
nonhuman animals than currently believed.

"The findings show that big brains, like those in humans, are not
necessarily needed as a pre-requisite for cumulative culture," they
write.


Today's report claims the findings of the study contributes to the
understanding of brain evolution and the types of brain required for
certain cognitive functions, both in humans and animals.


Lead author Dr Jeremy Kendal from Durham University's Anthropology
Department, states: "Small fish may have small brains but they still
have some surprising cognitive abilities.


"'Hill-climbing' strategies are widely seen in human society
whereby advances in technology are down to people choosing the best
technique through social learning and improving on it, resulting in
cumulative culture.


"But our results suggest brain size isn't everything when it comes to the capacity for social learning."


The team also found that with the sticklebacks the likelihood of
copying the behaviour of others increased with the rate at which the
others fed.

I think it is a foolish person who ever thinks that any of the animal species have no brain power.

We seem to think that we know everything when in reality we know very little about the animal kingdom. If fish are able to navigate up and down rivers, return to where they were spawned, cross oceans (all without the use of a plugged in Sat-Nav ) how much more can they do and feel that we are not yet aware of.