"Hyenas Cooperate, Problem-solve Better Than Primates" -9

"Hyenas Cooperate, Problem-solve Better Than Primates"
Science Daily. Retrieved at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090928131032.htm

A study was done on spotted hyenas that showed how their cooperative problem-solving tests performed higher than chimpanzees, but that does not make hyenas smarter than chimpanzees. Two captive hyenas were put into a cage with rope test to see if they could work together to open the door with the food. Their task was to pull on the rope in unison and the door would open only because of the force of the pull from both sides. When experienced and inexperienced hyenas were put together the higher-level hyena would help the other until the door was open. When chimpanzees were put into the same situations they required training experience before they were able to pull down on the ropes together and win their prize of food. The experiment did not allow one hyenas tug to open the trap door, it was designed so that two hyenas had to pull the door. When two dominant hyenas were to open the trap door though, it became more difficult for the two to work together. When the dominant was placed with a less experienced hyena, the more dominant one went down to the level of the other to help it figure out how to open together. Also when two dominant females were placed together, their aggressiveness towards each other prevented them from passing the test.