科学｜シロイルカ、鏡を認識する能力を発見 / Science | Discovery of Beluga Whales’ Ability to Recognize Themselves in Mirrors

Summary

It has been confirmed that beluga whales can recognize themselves in a mirror, and interesting behaviors have been observed as a result.

This study, published in 2026, documented belugas turning towards the mirror and closely examining their own bodies. Researchers stated that this serves as significant evidence of the beluga’s high intelligence and cognitive abilities, further enhancing the allure of these remarkable creatures.

Dialogue

This dialogue is fictional and based on the article.

Chako: Hey, Log, I heard that beluga whales can recognize themselves in a mirror!
Log: Yeah, it seems that recent research has confirmed that. They’ve observed behaviors like staring at their own reflection and swimming in circles.
Chako: That’s interesting! How can they do that?
Log: Beluga whales are highly intelligent creatures, so it’s thought that they have the ability to recognize themselves.
Navi: Just to add, self-recognition is an important indicator of high intelligence, and this phenomenon has been observed in other animals as well.

Admin’s Note

The research findings on the mirror recognition ability of beluga whales are very intriguing. Understanding that animals possess the ability to recognize themselves helps deepen our comprehension of their intelligence and emotions. It’s particularly endearing to know that such charming creatures as beluga whales have this capability, which makes us feel even more connected to them. I hope we see similar discoveries in studies of other animals in the future.