Long-term memory of goats

Recent research by Swiss scientists shows that goats are smarter than previously thought, showing good long-term memory.

During the study, the team tested the ability of goats to solve problems with a mechanical test. The 12 goats in the study must complete the task of lifting and pulling the lever to open a box. In the box is a piece of fruit.

A goat in a lift experiment and pull the lever to get food in the box.(Photo: Popsci)

According to the results of the study, 9 goats have achieved the requirements of the expert group with nearly 10 tests. The other two children were excluded because they tried to pry the lid of the box with horns instead of taking the two-step process with leverage. The other one is almost impossible to complete the test after 22 attempts.

After 10 months, they are checked again with the same requirement. At this time, the goats showed their ability to solve the situation more quickly, within two minutes.

The speed at which the goats meet the 10-month requirement compared to the time they need to learn shows that the goat has a good memory, said Dr. Elodie Briefer, a member of the Federal Institute of Technology's research team. Switzerland, said.

According to Popsci, this finding also proves that goats can learn at a fast pace and memorize lessons for a long time.

Previous studies have shown that goats are able to settle in new and harsh environments to find and remember where food sources are, which may indicate that they are quite intelligent.