Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Detour behavior in the Quokka (Setonix brachyurus).

C D L Wynne1, B Leguet

  • 1University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. wynne@ufl.edu

Behavioural Processes
|October 27, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Quokkas (Setonix brachyurus) navigating barriers showed individual differences in turning preference. One quokka demonstrated spatial reasoning, unlike others who relied on spatial learning.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Responses of larval zebrafish to low pH immersion assay. Comment on Lopez-Luna et al.

The Journal of experimental biology·2017
Same author

Stress is not pain. Comment on Elwood and Adams (2015) 'Electric shock causes physiological stress responses in shore crabs, consistent with prediction of pain'.

Biology letters·2016
Same author

Sociability and gazing toward humans in dogs and wolves: Simple behaviors with broad implications.

Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior·2016
Same author

The canid genome: behavioral geneticists' best friend?

Genes, brain, and behavior·2012
Same author

A review of domestic dogs' (Canis familiaris) human-like behaviors: or why behavior analysts should stop worrying and love their dogs.

Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior·2008
Same author

Effects of d-amphetamine on the behavior of pigeons exposed to the peak procedure.

Behavioural processes·2006

Area of Science:

  • Animal behavior
  • Cognitive ethology
  • Marsupial cognition

Background:

  • Understanding spatial navigation is crucial for comprehending animal cognition.
  • Investigating problem-solving strategies in wild populations provides ecological insights.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the spatial problem-solving abilities of quokkas (Setonix brachyurus) in a naturalistic barrier task.
  • To investigate individual differences in spatial learning and reasoning in quokkas.

Main Methods:

  • Four quokkas were presented with symmetrical and asymmetrical barriers in their natural habitat.
  • The ability to navigate around the barrier to reach a food reward was observed.
  • Barrier configurations varied in side-arm length to test adaptive navigation.

Main Results:

  • Three quokkas exhibited consistent turning laterality (left or right) which decreased with longer barrier arms.
  • One quokka displayed no consistent laterality and showed immediate spatial reasoning by selecting the shortest path.
  • This suggests a distinction between innate spatial reasoning and learned navigation strategies.

Conclusions:

  • Quokkas exhibit varied approaches to spatial problem-solving, including learned and reasoned strategies.
  • Individual cognitive differences may influence navigation efficiency in quokkas.
  • Behavioral laterality in navigation can be influenced by environmental complexity.

Related Experiment Videos