Cow filmed using tools for first time raises questions about animal intelligence
First recorded instance of tool use by a cow raises questions about animal intelligence
- A 13-year-old Swiss cow named Veronika has become the first documented bovine to use multi-purpose tools, surprising scientists.
- Veronika was observed using sticks, rakes, and deck brushes to scratch herself, picking them up in her mouth and directing them to the intended area.
- The cow demonstrated intelligence by switching ends of the brush depending on which part of her body she was scratching.
- This unprecedented behaviour was documented as part of a study published in the journal Current Biology.
- The footage represents the first time such tool-use has been recorded in cattle during approximately 10,000 years of human interaction with the species.