"They would turn their heads to where the sound was,".The findings may have some important implications for the cattle industry, Cameron Clark, a research fellow at the University of Sydney, told the publication. Most humans can only see ants as a nuisance, and fail to recognize the possibility of an intelligence despite signs of a "civilization" equal to for example some of the first cities of humankind in Mesopotamia - namely the existence of cities, of architecture, of farming, of animal husbandry, of social castes.I have to say, however, that if the communication gap between humans and ants is ever bridged, it will be by human scientists. The temperament of each one as well as the personality is very different.In many areas of the world including Asia, elephants are working animals.

instead of steamrolling rainforest we could make much better use of recycling and things.Ants are fantastic. What: In Ghana’s Mole National Park, lion numbers have declined by more than 90 per cent in 40 years. Sound familiar?Elephant societies are complex, the behaviors entrenched generation after generation, the roles of individuals guided by gender.Interestingly, societies form around females, while the males tend to be solitary wanderers, roaming from group to group in search of different mates.

"Are humans intelligent? They have been observed digging holes for drinking water, then moulding bark from a tree into the shape of a ball and placing it on top of the hole and covering it over with sand to avoid evaporation. The only thing I knew about elephants is that they have a really great memory but I had no idea they had all these other amazing abilities!

Such as abstract and artistic thought, morals, the ability to use tools created for a specific purpose, and the ability to make love for the hell of it.Not really, Math Guy, because what are we, humans, but a large group of individual organisms that push towards a common purpose? I think our species prejudice prevents us from acknowledging that what we see is the product of intelligence.However I disagree that ant behaviour is due simply to pre-programmed traits.

They are, most likely, a non-inquisitive species and to the extent that ants may contemplate humans at all it is to assess their threat level and to scout them as sources of crumbs and other food. After all, ants show remarkable adaptability to new situations. Elephants, being so large and strong stayed relatively unintelligent because there was no need. It does this even though it is completely cut off from the rest of the ant colony so it cannot be getting direction from them.I think however that ants have a limited interest in non-colony affairs.

Thanks for all the information. Dairy cows probably don't make the list. By the next day, i passed by to see the nest, and the surviving ants (which were still millions) pilled the dead ones together in little bunches. (eg. And the story makes it pretty clear we wouldn't stand a chance if that really happens.

Intelligent or not, logically, they must have certain feelings such as pain and fear.

Comparing a single human to an ant colony is a more interesting line of thought.

and another.

It is not learned through imittion, nor is it based on trial and error or by learning from mistakes. These are some words that humans could use to describe intelligence. Their cooperation exhibits purpose, planning, and command and control. The relationship is symbiotic.

Do they all go 'ant school' to learn to be good ants?

This implies that the new ants were learning from the prisoners who had been there longer.Your arguments, and the general observations of the previous posters, suggest that the behaviour of an ant society as a collective is representative of their capabilities as individuals. ").We're trying to answer an undefined question here, and we're having trouble getting a definite answer here because it's undefined.Just stumbled on your article. The teacher ant will slow his pace to allow the student ant; if the student ant falls behind.The teacher ant's behaviour does not provide a benefit to the teacher. I wrote an article about how ants maintain their way of living, and it seems like everything is sacrificed for the community, individualism isn't allowed. Love is the bond between one and another, especially child of a social species (and some non social) that is nessecary for the more powerful to protect new life and to ensure their child, which is their purpose, survives or when a creature in a society has to protect another because of the instinct of communal relationship that brought them together in the first place (shown when ants or bees put their lives on the line before alowing an invader to attack). But by taking time to lead a novice ant to a food source, it allows other ants to locate the food faster than they would have discovered it on their own.

i just wanted to say thank you to all our fans. Chimps do this too.Secondly, you say something very interesting:'We must not equate ant slavery with the human experience.

When we think about our most intelligent friends in the animal kingdom, species like orangutans, dolphins, elephants and octopuses are likely to come to mind.

Thanks again, with all response.