Key Highlights
- Antonio J Osuna MascaróVeronika, a Swiss brown cow living in AustriaIf it were her back or another tough area that warranted a good scratch, she would use the bristle end of a broom.
- When a softer touch was needed, such as on her sensitive underbelly, she would use the smooth handle end. This kind of tool use is rarely seen in the animal kingdom and has never been documented in cattle before. Dr Antonio Osuna-Mascaro of the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna said: "We were not expecting cows to be able to use tools, and we were not expecting a cow to use a tool as a multipurpose tool.
- Until now this has only been consistently reported in chimpanzees."Getty ImagesChimpanzees show sophisticated tool use, such as using a stick to get fruit from a boxChimpanzees show the most varied range of tool use outside of humans.
- They use sticks to gather ants and termites, and stones to crack nuts. However, despite about 10,000 years of humans living alongside cattle, this is the first time scientists have documented a cow using a tool. The researchers say their discovery shows that cows are smarter than we think and that other cows could develop similar skills, given the chance. As for Veronika's owner, organic farmer Witgar Wiegele, he hopes her unexpected talents will inspire people to value the natural world.
- As he puts it: "Save the nature, then you protect yourself.
