Bears can use facial expressions to communicate with others in a similar way to humans and apes, strongly suggesting other mammals might also be masters of this complex social skill and, in addition, have a degree of social sensitivity.
PHYS.ORG: ‘The world’s smallest bears can exactly mimic another bear’s facial expressions, casting doubt on humans and other primates’ supremacy at this subtle form of communication. It is the first time such exact facial mimicry has been seen outside of humans and gorillas. The research, by Dr. Marina Davila-Ross and Ph.D. candidate Derry Taylor, both at the University of Portsmouth, is published in Scientific Reports. The researchers studied sun bears—a solitary species in the wild, but also surprisingly playful—for more than two years.
They found bears can use facial expressions to communicate with others in a similar way to humans and apes, strongly suggesting other mammals might also be masters of this complex social skill and, in addition, have a degree of social sensitivity… Facial mimicry is when an animal responds to another’s facial expression with the same or similar expression. Mr Taylor coded the facial expressions of 22 sun bears in spontaneous social play sessions…
Dr. Davila-Ross said: “Mimicking the facial expressions of others in exact ways is one of the pillars of human communication. Other primates and dogs are known to mimic each other, but only great apes and humans, and now sun bears, were previously known to show such complexity in their facial mimicry… Mr Taylor said “That’s what makes these results so fascinating — they are a non-social species who when face to face can communicate subtly and precisely”…
Sun bears, also known as honey bears, stand at 120-150 cm tall and weigh up to 80kg. They are endangered and live in the tropical forests of south-east Asia. Social sophistication aside, sun bear numbers are dwindling due to deforestation, poaching and being killed by farmers for eating crops. Increasingly, new mother bears are killed so their cub can be taken and raised as a pet or kept in captivity as ‘bile bears’ where their bile is harvested for use in some Chinese medicines’. SOURCE…
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