According to a new study published in Nature Scientific
Reports, fish look out for each other when searching for food.
Reporting on the study, Design
& Trend notes that “rabbitfish have been observed by the ARC Centre
of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies in Queensland guarding one another while
their mate looks for food.
Prior to this discovery, marine biologists had assumed fish weren’t
capable of cooperating with other fish, a behavior requiring highly developed
social skills.
“By showing that fishes, which are commonly considered
to be cold, unsocial, and unintelligent, are capable of negotiating
reciprocal co-operative systems, we provide evidence that co-operation may
not be as exclusive as previously assumed,” one of the researchers explains.
While the belief that fish possess only a three-second
memory and don’t feel pain is still ingrained in popular thought, evidence to
the contrary is growing stronger all the time.
Just last year, an article by Vox.com detailed a multitude of fish abilities, including their abilities to
“learn from each other, recognize other fish they’ve spent time with
previously, know their place within fish social hierarchies, and remember
complex spatial maps of their surroundings.” There is even some evidence
that they use tools.
Unfortunately, because fish aren’t usually considered as cute,
cuddly, or relatable as the species most people know and love, their suffering
is more likely to go unnoticed.
You can take a stand against the blatant abuse of fish and
other animals by leaving meat, dairy, and eggs off your plate. Click
here for delicious fish-free recipes.