Evidence for mirror self-recognition in beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas)

Abstract

Tests of mirror self-recognition (MSR) have provided behavioral evidence of a high level of self-awareness in humans, chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, gorillas, bottlenose dolphins, Asian elephants, magpies, and to some extent in the cleaner wrasse. We conducted the standard mirror test with a social group of four beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), one subadult and three adult females, housed together at the New York Aquarium of the Wildlife Conservation Society. We exposed the whales to a two-way plexiglass mirror and a transparent control surface during baseline and post-mirror sessions and recorded and analyzed their behavioral responses in the three conditions. Two of the four whales, the subadult and her mother, exhibited a rich suite of self-directed behaviors at the mirror and subsequent mark and control sham-mark tests were conducted with both whales. The adult female showed mark-directed behavior at the mirror and passed one of the initial mark tests in a series of tests given. The self-directed behaviors exhibited by both whales and mark directed behavior by the adult female provides evidence for the capacity of MSR in the beluga whale.