Smart Problem Solvers
Did you know that alpacas might actually be more cognitively flexible than horses, donkeys, mules and dogs? When scientists tested them with a spatial problem-solving task, alpacas showed a surprising ability to adapt when conditions changed. In an experiment where animals had to find a gap in a barrier to reach a food reward, other domestic animals tended to keep trying the old route even after the gap was moved. But alpacas quickly adjusted their strategy and found the new path without getting stuck in old habits.
What makes this especially interesting is that alpacas kept exploring their environment in every trial, rather than just memorizing one solution. This flexible approach likely evolved from their need to find food and water across the varying Andean landscape, where resources could be scarce or hard to reach. Think of it as having an internal GPS that’s always ready to recalculate, rather than stubbornly following an outdated route!
The study suggests this adaptability might come from their history as fiber producers rather than companion animals – unlike horses or dogs, alpacas weren’t selected for traits like paying attention to humans, so they may focus more on environmental cues. This mental flexibility could make them easier to train than we might expect!
I did not find a video of this particular task described in this study, but instead a cute little video where they follow a parkours: