Belugas Pass Mirror Test

Every time you use a reflective surface, you pass one of science’s key tests for higher thinking. Humans, after all, are one of only a few species that can recognize themselves in and make use of a mirror.

Add beluga whales to that list.

“The belugas ... appear to use the mirror as a tool to view parts of their bodies or activities that they would otherwise be unable to see without a mirror,” whale expert Alex Mildener told IFLScience. “For example, we saw the whales engaging in barrel rolls which allowed them to view different parts of their body and monitor their activity.”

Mildener co-authored a study on belugas. It was published recently in the journal PLOS One. His team worked with the whales at the New York Aquarium. They replaced a normal panel of glass in the belugas’ tank with a two-way mirror. Then they watched the whales as the whales watched themselves.

Two of the whales, Natasha and Maris, showed keen interest in the mirror. Both whales seemed to “play” with their reflections. They blew bubbles at the mirror. They also nudged their heads against the glass. When the team put a temporary mark near Natasha’s face, she noticed. She seemed to examine it in the mirror.

More study is required, Mildener says, before we know just how much belugas can see in a mirror. But for now, the belugas' play shows they have an understanding of mirrors. That puts them in the company of other intelligent animals, experts say. Some species that can use mirrors include gorillas, Asian elephants, magpies, and humans.

Reflect If you could spend one day observing any animal in its natural habitat, which animal would you choose and why?