When Animals are Both Defended and Defenseless
It sounds like a good conservation strategy: If a native species is being killed by invasive predators, move the native species to a predator-free sanctuary where their numbers can recover. However, a new paper suggests this approach could result in problems if the native species ever faces their invasive foes again.
Read my latest Animal Minds blog post to see how this played out in New Zealand robins: When Animals are Both Defended and Defenseless.
Crows Infer Weight of Objects by Observing Them in a Breeze
Humans use a variety of cues to gauge an object’s weight without directly handling it, including how easily it can be moved. For instance, if we see one object blowing down the street in the wind while another object remains stationary, we can infer which object is heavier.
But what about other animals? I take a look at a clever new experiment with New Caledonian crows that suggests they possess this ability, too.
Read it here: Observant Crows Make Weighty Decisions.
