Comments on: The evolution of animal personalities – they’re a fact of life

By: MoniQue

MoniQue — Wed, 13 May 2009 06:41:21 +0000

Thanks for posting on the personality traits of animals, very interesting.
One thing I’ve observed is how cats–all cats, whether lions or tigers or feral cats or domestic cats, although they do each have distinct personality traits individually, they as a species have one trait all in common: Pride.
From the old, beaten up scroungy alley cat to the feral who’s never experienced human interaction, to the domestic to the large wild cats to the and wild small cats, they all have this “proud lion” aspect about them. A pride that goes way beyond all the other species of animals. In fact, so much pride that they even get “embarassed” when they jump and miss a climb or when laughed at. It’s really remarkable. If the average human had as much pride as the cat, it would truly be irritating and obnoxious, but for some reason it is justified and seems good and right in the feline.
The pride of the feline.
Evolution cannot explain it. This goes way beyond an individual animal’s personality. And neither adaptation for survival nor even instinct sufficiently can addresses it. The pride of felines. They own it.
I think this is one thing evolution cannot explain.

By: doug l

doug l — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:47:20 +0000

Tony in his post above, mentions behavior but there were also significant physical traits that were expressed as well. It’s been suggested that genetically controlled behavioural traits, such as late-onset of certain instinctive behavior like the expression of dominance and aggression, are associated with physical traits which might also be selected, even if inadvertantly, which never the less could have wide ranging implications.
Might be interesting to see if an experiment similar to the siberian foxes were to be conducted in a controlled population of primates. Would we see more juvenile forms indicated by increased gracility and longer/increased growth for the brain?

By: WhySharksMatter

WhySharksMatter — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:54:01 +0000

Sharks also have distinctive personalities. One that I rescued from a loose hook recognized me and treated me differently than the other humans it encountered while it recuperated from its injuries in our shark pond. Other sharks I’ve held in captivity temporarily have been quite hostile towards me. The behaviors are consistent for an individual but vary greatly between individuals.

By: Lilian Nattel

Lilian Nattel — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 17:08:57 +0000

That’s fascinating.

By: Tony P

Tony P — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:29:59 +0000

And for further study I offer Felis Sylvestris Catus, or the common household cat.
All the same equipment as other Felids, but adoption of a more docile, kitten-like behavior.
Then of course there are the Russians who bred more docile foxes and ended up with foxes that behaved more like dogs than foxes.

By: Phaedrus

Phaedrus — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:09:25 +0000

Cool. There was some work done comparing behaviors of mountain lions in the Northwest to their desert dwelling cousins in the Southwest that showed aggressiveness/territorial behavior in the low (SW) populations.