We often ask ourselves which is the greatest soul, the longest-lived one, the smallest one and so on. But what is the most curious animal in the world? To begin, let’s focus on the concept of curiosity. There are many sayings about curiosity: curiosity kills; I have no particular talents, I am only passionately curious (Einstein); l ‘man has an insatiable thirst for curiosity to know everything, except the ones that are worth knowing (Wilde); The intelligent mind is a curious mind: it is not satisfied with explanations or conclusions, and it does not abandon itself to faith, because faith is also a form of conclusion (Bruce Lee).The curiosity in man is great, and it is thanks to this curiosity that a man is in itself a versatile and plastic being, and therefore adaptable to any typical situation that presents him.
The most curious animal in the world: The raven
We do not have to strut (we do the so-called wheel too many times ), curiosity is present in almost the entire animal kingdom. And it will surprise that the primacy is of a bird, according to the ethologist Konrad Lorenz : the raven ( Corvus corax ) .
Learning and curiosity
Curiosity is very present in this bird, especially at an early age. The young of this corvid, when they see something new and unexpected, approach it slowly and with great caution. With this preparatory ” rite ” the animal learns about the world.
In the case of an animated being, the young man always approaches very carefully and launches some attacks, sometimes indecisive and not entirely precise, thus increasing the possibility of escape. If the individual escapes, the young crow rushes to attack, learning the methods and identification of the prey; if the individual launches a counter attack, the crow immediately escapes, and will no longer try to attack such an animal.
This learning by trial and error is not very selective, and this is where the great potential of curiosity comes into play!
The exploratory phase
For ravens, it is at its highest level right after the skin appears. It is no coincidence that behavior develops during an individual phase that requires a deeper knowledge of the world, for the growth and life of the little ones. In old age the thing is reversed, that is, it seems that new acquisition of knowledge of the surrounding world is impossible, but the experiences gathered in life, even the most minimal and banal, can lead to an effective overcoming of the problem.
The behavior of older primates or rats is more plastic than that of old ravens, but the difference between the young and the elderly is similar.
Ethology: the game
When we think of play , as a recreational play activity, we immediately think of a child intent on some imaginative game, pretending to be someone or something. It is in this very delicate and decisive period that the most sensational discoveries for children take place through situations or tools that seem banal to us. Thanks to these discoveries, the adult finite individual is formed , which is conveyed by social and cultural norms.
A bit like what happens in primate babies when they play too turbulent games or carry out gestures that go against the principles of society. At a very early age, puppies are forgiven for any gesture, without constraints. When an individual enters his youth, things change.
Curiosity has a price
Overly aggressive behavior has been observed on the part of the parents, which seems to be outright scolding! These extra aggressive attitudes inform the child that this is wrong behavior and that he must never do it again. This teaching learning is more specialized and joins the raven’s trial and error learning , reducing the future costs the puppy will have to pay as an adult!
If the usual danger in the raven is to die, in the primate cub the excessive behavior of the parents can make him escape unnecessary clashes with members of society! Curiosity in animals is always genuine, at least until it comes into contact with something deadly dangerous.
