"A 2005 study published in" Journal of the National Academy of Sciences website said, people in Bronx Zoo on the 34 year old female Asian elephant "happy" and the other two female elephant experiments found that the elephant in front of the mirror moves indicate that they can be recognized in the mirror of yourself.
In the face of the mirror, "happy" will continue with its trunk touch experimental personnel painted in the X mark above its eyes. If it is not because of the reflection of the mirror, "happy" can not see the mark.
While the other two elephants "Maxine" and "Patti" in the above and behind the eye mark failed to respond. However, Maxine to the mirror, will use the nose to dig to dig in the mouth, but also with a trunk slowly put the ears at the mirror closer, previously, researchers have never seen an elephant had this move.
Self consciousness
"There are indications that 'happiness' does recognize themselves in the mirror," said study project participants, Joshua Plotnik, a graduate student at Emory University in Atlanta. Another special action, as in a mirror, shows that they can also be aware of the image in the mirror. In addition, the three female elephants did not show any social behavior before the mirror, indicating that they think the image in the mirror is their own.
The elephant's self - consciousness provides an explanation for the complexity of their social behavior.
Independent evolution ability
In 1970, psychologist Gordon Gallop designed the mirror experiment. After this experiment on chimpanzee, Gallup immediately said that the experimental results are very powerful and convincing". And the results of the experiment show that the original only in humans, chimpanzee and individual species of dolphins and other species found in self awareness, thick skinned animals may also have.
Although on the surface, elephants and dolphins are very different, but they have a sense of self awareness, which shows that the ability to form a independent evolution in different species.