Problem solving in European bison (Bison bonasus): two experimental approaches

Area of Science:

• Animal Cognition
• Behavioral Ecology
• Ungulate Studies

Background:

• Problem-solving is vital for survival and fitness.
• Research on problem-solving abilities often overlooks species with lower encephalization quotients.
• European bison, a non-domesticated ungulate, present an understudied model for cognitive research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the novel problem-solving capabilities of European bison.
• To assess their ability to adapt to new challenges using two distinct experimental tasks.

Main Methods:

• Five European bison participated in two tasks: accessing food from a hanging barrel (requiring manipulation of a tree stump) and using a novel bucket to retrieve food.
• Tasks involved both experimental conditions (requiring novel actions) and control conditions.

Main Results:

• In the tree stump task, no bison successfully manipulated the stump to access food.
• In the novel bucket task, two bison successfully retrieved food by pushing the bucket within reach, demonstrating some adaptive behavior.

Conclusions:

• European bison exhibit limited capacity for solving novel problems, particularly those requiring complex manipulation or tool use.
• The findings suggest potential cognitive limitations influencing their ability to adapt to new environmental challenges.