Horses and pigs can interpret the human voice, according to a new study. “Our results show that the animals are influenced by the emotions with which we charge our voices when we talk to them or around them,” says behavioral biologist Elodie Briefer of the University of Copenhagen. Both bred pigs and horses as well as Asian wild horses could recognize these differences.
Scientists from Zurich and Berlin were also involved in the study in the journal “BMC Biology”. For their study, the researchers played recordings of animal sounds and human voices from hidden speakers. To prevent the lab animals from reacting to certain words, the human recordings came from a professional speaker who recorded a kind of gibberish without meaningful sentences.
The result?
The animals responded more strongly – usually faster – to a negative-sounding voice than when addressed in a positively charged voice. “In certain situations, they even seem to reflect the emotions they’re experiencing,” Briefer explains.
The animals’ responses suggested that the way people talk to and around them affects their well-being. “It means that our voices have a direct influence on the emotional state of the animals, which is very interesting from an animal welfare standpoint,” Briefer said. When the animals were addressed in a friendly manner, they became calmer and more relaxed.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
