Primerjava kognitivnih sposobnosti domačega prašiča (Sus scrofa domestica) in delfina (Delphinidae)

Kankaraš, Ajda (author), Zupan Šemrov, Manja (mentor)

Delfini spadajo med najbolj kognitivno razvite živali, medtem ko domače prašiče poznamo predvsem kot rejne živali. Marsikdo zato ne ve, da so prašiči pravzaprav zelo inteligentne živali. Vendar pa ni znano, do kod segajo njihove kognitivne sposobnosti in ali so te, tako kot kognitivne sposobnosti delfinov, med bolj razvitimi v živalskem svetu. Razlike bi se lahko pojavile zaradi različnih dejavnikov, kot je evolucijski razvoj ali pa različno okolje. Razlike v kogniciji bi lahko nastale tudi kot posledica domestikacije, saj bi ta lahko vplivala na razvoj možganov udomačenih prašičev in s tem spremenila določene kognitivne sposobnosti. Tekom domestikacije je potekala tudi načrtna selekcija, pri kateri so ljudje odbirali živali z ali brez specifičnih lastnosti. Ta bi lahko prav tako vplivala na razvoj možganov in posledično kognitivnih sposobnosti udomačenih živali. Ker so delfini med najbolj priljubljenimi živalmi za preučevanje kognicije, domači prašiči pa so bolj priljubljeni v mesni industriji, preučevanje psihologije prašičev ni tako pogosto. Zato je razlika v številu raziskav kognicije med posameznima vrstama velika. V diplomskem delu smo na podlagi pregledane literature analizirali posamezne kognitivne sposobnosti obeh vrst živali in podali potencialne razloge, ki bi lahko privedli do morebitnega poslabšanja kognitivnih sposobnosti domačega prašiča.

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: prašiči, delfini, kognitivne sposobnosti
• Work type: Bachelor thesis/paper
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Year: 2021
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-131674
• COBISS.SI-ID: 78720003
• Publication date in RUL: 01.10.2021

Secondary language

• Language: English
• Title: Comparison of cognitive abilities between domestic pig (Sus scrofa domestica) and dolphin (Delphinidae)

Abstract

Dolphins are one of the most evolved species when it comes to cognitive abilities, while domestic pigs are well-used farm animals. It is not widely known that pigs are highly intelligent animals. It is not known how advanced their cognitive abilities are or how similar they are to the cognitive abilities of dolphins, one of the most evolved species in the animal kingdom. The differences between the two species could be due to a number of reasons, including evolution, different environments, and domestication, which could affect how the brains of domestic pigs develop. Domestication could reduce or degrade certain cognitive abilities, including through artificial selection, as only the most desired specific traits were selected for or deliberately omitted. Dolphins are one of the most interesting animals for the study of cognition. Pigs, on the other hand, are mainly used in the meat industry and are therefore overlooked in studies of cognition. This is one of the main reasons why the number of studies on different species of animals varies so much. In this B. Sc. Thesis, the cognitive abilities of both species will be analysed, as well as the possible reasons for the decrease in cognitive abilities of domestic pigs. Everything written is based on the studies already done and the literature.

• Keywords: pigs, dolphins, cognitive abilities