Ask the Animal

Pick an animal friend and ask them anything. Every answer is real science, told the way you like it.

Hello! I'm Clara the cow. Pick a question and I'll tell you what cows are really like.

Questions you could ask

Browse every answer, then pick a character above for an age-matched version.

Do cows have best friends?: Yes! Cows choose a favourite friend and stand close to her. When we're apart we feel wobbly and sad.
Can cows remember things?: I can tell more than 50 of my herd apart, and I remember the way to my favourite field for years.
How do I know when a cow is happy?: Look for leaping, a swishy relaxed tail, and ears pointing sideways instead of back.
Do cows talk to each other?: We each have our own voice. Mums and calves call to each other and know exactly who's who.

Can pigs play video games?: Really! Pigs have learned to use a joystick with their snouts to move a cursor to a target and win a treat.
Do pigs know their own names?: Yes — pigs learn their names in a few weeks and come when they're called, just like dogs.
Why do pigs roll in mud?: Pigs can't sweat much, so mud cools us down and protects our skin from sunburn and bugs.
Do pigs get sad?: Yes. Pigs feel sad and hopeful, and we catch each other's moods, just like people do in a classroom.

Do chickens dream?: Chickens have the same kind of dreaming sleep that people do, so scientists think we probably dream too.
Can chickens talk?: We have around 30 different calls — including different alarms for a fox on the ground and a hawk in the sky.
Do chickens know each other?: I can recognise about 100 different faces — chicken faces and human ones.
Why do chickens roll in the dust?: Dust bathing keeps our feathers fluffy and gets rid of itchy mites. We do it together because it feels good.

What do fish and octopuses feel?: Fish and octopuses feel pain, comfort, fear and curiosity. That's why gentle handling matters so much.
How clever is an octopus?: I can unscrew jars, solve mazes and escape through a hole the size of my eye.
Do your arms think for themselves?: Two thirds of my brain cells live in my arms, so each arm can explore on its own while I think about something else.
How do you change colour?: My skin is packed with colour cells I can stretch and squeeze in a blink to match anything around me.