The interview with scientist Antonio Osuna-Mascaró highlights the remarkable discovery of Veronika, a cow showcasing dexterous tool use skills. When Osuna-Mascaró and Alice Auersperg witnessed a video of Veronika scratching herself with a branch, they were intrigued, prompting a five-hour journey to meet her in southern Austria.
Veronika, a 13-year-old brown Swiss cow residing in Nötsch village, impressed the researchers by adeptly using a broom to alleviate her itches. Their study, recently published in Current Biology, challenges existing notions about bovine intelligence.
Veronika’s ability to select appropriate tools for specific needs, such as using the broom handle for sensitive areas and bristles for tougher skin, exemplifies flexible tooling criteria. Benjamin Beck, an expert in animal tool behavior, lauds Veronika’s adeptness, marking a significant instance of cattle demonstrating such behavior experimentally.
While debates persist on the cognitive implications of tool use in animals, instances like Veronika’s ingenuity continue to expand our understanding. Noteworthy examples abound, from dolphins using shells to elephants showering themselves with hoses. The prevalence of tool use across diverse species underscores the evolving landscape of animal cognition studies.
This progression in animal behavior research reflects a departure from past perceptions, as animals like Veronika challenge conventional beliefs about intelligence in commonly encountered livestock. Osuna-Mascaró emphasizes the importance of recognizing and studying the cognitive capacities of animals traditionally overlooked due to human-animal dynamics.