A study published in PLOS One details observations of a beluga whale named Natasha and her daughter Maris at a New York aquarium. The underwater video footage shows both whales engaging in behaviors such as stretching their necks and nodding in front of a two-way mirror, indicating potential mirror self-recognition, a cognitive ability associated with self-awareness. This finding, if confirmed, would place belugas among a limited group of species known to pass the mirror self-recognition test, which includes humans, certain great apes, Asian elephants, bottlenose dolphins, magpies, orcas, and a cleaner wrasse.
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Beluga Whales Show Signs of Mirror Self-Recognition
A new study indicates that beluga whales may possess self-awareness, as evidenced by their behavior in front of a mirror. This finding adds belugas to a small group of species that have passed the mirror self-recognition test, which is often associated with cognitive abilities related to self-awareness.
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Whatever the mirror test tells us, beluga whales pass it
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Beluga Whales Show Signs of Mirror Self-Recognition