Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.
Ali hobotnice razmišljajo?
Are octopuses thinking?
Written by Dora Adamič, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate
To vprašanje si raziskovalci postavljajo že zelo dolgo in čedalje več dokazov pravi, da res razmišljajo. A ne samo to – čutijo lahko tudi bolečino, veselje in užitek.
Researchers have been asking this question for a very long time, and more and more evidence says they really are thinking. But not only that - they can also feel pain, joy and pleasure.
Hobotnice uvrščamo med nevretenčarje, natančneje glavonožce, kamor sodijo tudi sipe in lignji.
Octopuses are classified as invertebrates, more precisely cephalopods, which also include cuttlefish and squid.
Nevretenčarji imajo drugačen živčni sistem od našega, kar oteži primerjave med našo in njihovo inteligenco. Zato so raziskovalci zelo dolgo menili, da niso sposobni globljega razmišljanja.
Invertebrates have a different nervous system than ours, which makes comparisons between our and their intelligence difficult. Therefore, researchers have long felt that they are not capable of deeper thinking.
Posledično so nevretenčarji zelo pogosto izpuščeni iz različnih uredb, ki skrbijo za dobrobit živali. Te se namreč večinoma zavzemajo za bolj dojemljive živali, kot so denimo psi, mačke, prašiči ali krave.
As a result, invertebrates are very often exempted from various animal welfare regulations. These are mostly in favour of more receptive animals, such as dogs, cats, pigs or cows.
Konzervativna fundacija za dobrobit živali (CAWF) je britansko vlado opozorila, da so tudi marsikateri nevretenčarji zelo inteligentni in jih je nujno treba zaščititi pred trpljenjem.
The Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation (CAWF) has warned the British government that many invertebrates are also very intelligent and need to be protected from suffering.
»Raki in glavonožci nedvomno doživljajo svet drugače kot mi. Pomembno pa je, ali to doživljanje vključuje zavestno izkušnjo užitka in bolečine. Verjamemo, da je dokazov dovolj, ki kažejo na to.«
“Crabs and cephalopods undoubtedly experience the world differently than we do. What matters, however, is whether this experience involves a conscious experience of pleasure and pain. We believe that there is enough evidence to suggest this. "
V svojem pozivu so navedli veliko dokazov, ki kažejo na njihovo inteligenco. Znajo se izogibati plenilcem in lahko celo tehtajo različne možnosti – se jim bolj splača loviti ali bežati.
In their [CAWF’s] call, they cited a lot of evidence pointing to their intelligence. They know how to avoid predators and can even weigh different options – whether it is more worthwhile for them to hunt or run away.
»Hobotnice v našem laboratoriju se odzovejo, ko stopiš mimo njihovega akvarija. Pridejo pogledati, kaj se dogaja. Lahkocelo vidiš, kako te opazujejo,« pravi morska biologinja Emily Sullivan.
“The octopuses in our lab respond when you step past their aquarium. They come to see what's going on. You can easily see how they observe you, ” says marine biologist Emily Sullivan.
Sprememba uredbe bi močno vplivala na vse nevretenčarje. Ti do sedaj namreč niso bili zaščiteni.
An amendment to the regulation would have a major impact on all invertebrates. These have not been protected so far.
O razmišljanju hobotnic govori tudi film Moj učitelj, hobotnica, ki je širši javnosti prvič predstavil njihovo neverjetno in podcenjeno inteligenco.
The film My Teacher, an Octopus, which presented its incredible and underestimated intelligence to the general public for the first time, also talks about octopus thinking.
Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.
