BBC News - source
A study by british scientists made at the Marine Biological Association of the UK, in Plymoith, says that catsharks have personalities. According to different situations, some of them tend to be more antisocial and some more social.
catshark
The scientists made ten groups of ten sharks. Each group was in a tank and their behaviour was observed. The tanks were divided so they formed different situations: from a very simple enviroment to a very complex one. The scientist realized that, no matter in what situations they found themselves in, some sharks always joined other sharks in a group, while other individuals camouflaged with the environment or stayed with very small groups. They also analyzed the relationships between the sharks. The conclusion of the scientists, like Prof. Hughes and Dr. Jacoby, is that sharks have a personality.
This is not the first study on animal behaviour. Other species have also shown personality traits. Mr. Finger is a student that is doing the same experiment with lemon sharks in the wild, and scientists are looking forward to compare results.
Dr. David Jacoby, behavioural ecologist working in the
Institute of Zoology in London.
For me, this is a very interesting piece of news. I do think that animals have personality because, after all, we're animals as well. I always thought that sharks were solitary animals by nature, so it surprised me to know that some of them like to have social relationships with others. I think that there should be more animal behaviour studies because they help us to understand our own world. Maybe we could even understand what animals think or want to do by knowing their personality.
lemon shark
Here's a video related with the study:
VOCABULARY
behaviour: manner of behaving or conducting oneself.
gravel: small stones and pebbles or a mixture of these with sand.
environment: the external factors and forces surrounding and affecting an organism, person or population.
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