Discover Which Animals Can Count and Understand Basic Math Concepts!

Animals counting or performing math may sound like a whimsical idea, but a remarkable range of species show an understanding of quantity, known as “numerosity.” So, which creatures can grasp basic math skills?

“Many animals, from insects to mammals, can tell different quantities apart,” says Michael Beran, a psychology professor at Georgia State University. This skill helps them find food, survive, and reproduce.

Take honeybees, for example. They count landmarks while flying to nectar-rich flowers. Golden orb weaver spiders track how many insects they catch in their webs. Túngara frogs even have a unique courtship ritual involving “chuck” sounds, where males compete by increasing their number of calls.

In 2024, research revealed that carrion crows can vocalize a specific number of caws, counting out loud from one to four. These instances suggest animals share a basic understanding of quantity.

However, Beran emphasizes that these animals likely don’t count in the same way humans do. Instead, they possess an innate “approximate number system” (ANS). It’s a cognitive tool that allows them to make quick comparisons between quantities. Giorgio Vallortigara, a neuroscience professor in Italy, explains that the ANS may rely on specific neurons that respond to numbers, found even in newly hatched chicks.

This “number sense” operates on principles like the distance effect (easier to differentiate between numbers far apart, like 8 and 4, than close numbers like 8 and 6) and the size effect (comparing smaller numbers is easier than larger ones). Notably, this aligns with Weber’s law, which suggests that animals perceive quantity differences based on ratios. Irene Pepperberg, an adjunct research professor at Boston University, reminds us that this is not the same as counting, which requires understanding symbols and their order.

The ability to quickly assess quantities might not seem like true math, but researchers have designed experiments showing that some species can handle basic arithmetic, such as addition and subtraction. For instance, African grey parrots and certain primates have shown promise, learning to interpret visual cues linked to math operations.

Yet, according to Beran, if math involves larger numbers or complex operations like algebra, nonhuman animals struggle significantly. The leap from basic counting to full-fledged mathematics represents a vast cognitive gap.

Interestingly, some groups of people, like the Himba tribe in Namibia, still rely on the ANS for estimating quantities, highlighting how our skills evolved with agriculture and trade. Formal arithmetic is a more recent cultural invention shaped by our need for precise calculations.

In essence, while many animals exhibit impressive number skills, the level of mathematical understanding varies widely. Understanding the depths of animal cognition reveals a fascinating world where survival relies heavily on numbers, even if those numbers aren’t treated the same way we handle them.

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