Pets are animals that, when domesticated, interact with humans and become their companions. However, contrary to what was thought, they are not the only ones who can communicate with us.
A study from Roehampton University, in the United Kingdom, and the University of Sydney, in Australia, reveals that kangaroos and other non-domesticated animals can also communicate with humans.
The investigation indicates that ten out of eleven kangaroos, when tested, sought to communicate through eye contact with the human before opening the box with food. Within the same group, nine exchanged several glances between the box and the person before acting.
“Through this study we can see that communication between animals can be learned and that the behavior of looking at humans to access food is not related to domestication. In fact, the kangaroos showed a pattern of behavior very similar to what we have already seen in dogs, horses and even goats when subjected to the same test,” explains Alan G. McElligott, author of the study, in Science.
The scientist states that this discovery demonstrates that intentional communication by animals toward humans was completely underestimated. “Kangaroos are the first marsupials to be studied in this way and the positive results should lead to more cognitive investigations beyond the common domestic species,” he concludes.
