Animals That Can Count | Math Skills in the Animal Kingdom
- the notion of animals doing math may seem far-fetched,but a sense of quantity,or "numerosity," is present across various species.
- Michael Beran, a psychology professor at Georgia State University, said many species, including insects, mollusks, lizards, birds, and mammals, can distinguish between different quantities.
- Honeybees, such as, count landmarks while flying to nectar-rich flowers.Golden orb weaver spiders track the number of insects ensnared in their webs.
Uncover the surprising world of animal math! Our feature explores how various species, from honeybees to primates, utilize math skills for survival and success. Discover how a sense of quantity benefits animals in their daily lives-locating food, navigating environments, and even during mating rituals. Learn which creatures can count, perform basic arithmetic like addition and subtraction, and how these abilities contribute to their evolutionary advantage. Did you know that lionesses assess threats by counting roars? News Directory 3 dives into the fascinating research showing how animals use numbers. Delve into the specifics of crow vocalizations and spider web strategies.discover what’s next in the exploration of animal cognition.
Animal Math: Which species Can count and Do Simple Arithmetic?
updated June 30,2025
the notion of animals doing math may seem far-fetched,but a sense of quantity,or “numerosity,” is present across various species. This ability offers evolutionary advantages, helping animals find food and pass on their genes.
Michael Beran, a psychology professor at Georgia State University, said many species, including insects, mollusks, lizards, birds, and mammals, can distinguish between different quantities. This skill helps them locate more food, boosting their survival.
Honeybees, such as, count landmarks while flying to nectar-rich flowers.Golden orb weaver spiders track the number of insects ensnared in their webs. Túngara frogs engage in numerical duels during mating rituals, increasing the number of “chucks” in their calls until they run out of breath.
Lionesses assess their odds in battle by counting the roars of approaching rival prides before deciding weather to attack or retreat. In 2024, researchers found that carrion crows can vocalize a specific number of caws in response to visual or auditory cues, effectively counting aloud from one to four.
Some animals, including certain primates, honeybees, stingrays, and cichlids, have demonstrated the ability to perform basic addition and subtraction with small numbers. These experiments involve animals learning to interpret visual cues and applying those rules to solve simple math problems.
Beran noted that while some animals can handle basic arithmetic, complex formulas are likely beyond their capabilities.
What’s next
Further research may explore whether animals can be trained to perform more complex mathematical operations, potentially revealing new insights into their cognitive abilities and the evolution of numerical skills.