Malay bears can mimic each other's facial expressions. This conclusion was reached by a group of British scientists after their research, the results of which were reported by The Daily Telegraph.
Previously, it was believed that such skills are inherent only in humans and some species of primates, including gorillas. However, experts from the University of Portsmouth (UK) argue that Malay bears, or biruangs, can also recognize the emotions on the faces of other members of the species and reproduce their facial expressions exactly.
For two years, biologists have observed the behavior of mammals living in one of the national parks of Malaysia. Experts saw that the biruangs sometimes played various games that sometimes resembled a fight, and sometimes looked like a hug. Regardless of the nature of these contacts, the animals used special facial expressions, differing, in particular, in that sometimes they bared their upper teeth, and sometimes they did not.
Very often, during the manifestation of tender feelings, the bears accurately reproduced the facial expressions of their partner, without exposing the incisors. However, when the brawls began, the biruangs opened their mouths and showed their upper teeth, copying the facial expressions of the enemy.
At the same time, experts recalled that in natural conditions, these animals, as a rule, lead a hermitic lifestyle and rarely communicate with their relatives. “Malay bears are not social animals. They are relatively solitary in the wild, which is why research shows that the ability to communicate through complex facial expressions may be a common trait in mammals, allowing them to navigate their communities,”concluded Davila-Ross.
The Malay bear (Helarctos malayanu) is considered the smallest and rarest member of the bear family. Its length does not exceed 1.5 m, and its weight ranges from 27 to 65 kg. The distribution area is tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia. The species is on the verge of extinction and is included in the international Red Data Book with the status of “in a vulnerable position”. Despite the fact that international trade and hunting for Malay bears is prohibited, poachers continue to kill these animals for their internal organs, which are used in traditional Asian medicine.