Photo: Antonio J. Osuna Mascaró
Researchers in Austria have documented what is believed to be the first-known case of a cow demonstrating tool use. The fantastic finding reportedly came about when farmer Witgar Wiegele noticed that his beloved bovine, Veronika, had a penchant for scratching itches with sticks that she manipulated with her mouth. After a decade of marveling at the cow's unusual behavior, he sent a video of her to cognitive biologist Alice Auersperg of Vienna's University of Veterinary Medicine. "When I saw the footage, it was immediately clear that this was not accidental," the scientist said, "this was a meaningful example of tool use in a species that is rarely considered from a cognitive perspective.”
Check out a video of Veronika in action and find out more on this story at the Coast to Coast AM website.