Investigation of the Cognitive Buffer Hypothesis In Wild Raccoons [Lauren Stanton]

Описание: Lauren Stanton, Eli Bridge, Carissa Cooley, Emily Davis, Rachel Fanelli, Joost Huizinga, & Sarah Benson-Amram.

Urbanization can be detrimental for wildlife, yet many species thrive in urban environments. The Cognitive Buffer Hypothesis (CBH) states that relatively large brains allow animals to modify their behavior to overcome environmental challenges, such as urbanization. But there is little consensus that urban wildlife possess superior cognition and current field investigations have been limited to a few taxa. We conducted two experiments that evaluated the cognition of wild raccoons: first we used puzzle boxes to evaluate learning and innovation, then we used an automated operant conditioning device to evaluate behavioral flexibility via a reversal learning test. Approximately 23% of raccoons demonstrated rapid learning and innovation, and 43% demonstrated behavioral flexibility, confirming predictions under the CBH. However, individuals varied in cognitive ability, and life stage and testing condition may have influenced performance. This research, therefore, offers support for the CBH but has some limitations. Further, and importantly, this research extends current methodologies to a nontraditional species and forges new possibilities for studying and understanding urban tolerance.