Spatial Cognitive Learning in Reptiles

To survive, animals adapt to their environment—from their body shape to their mental abilities. But what shapes those mental abilities?

We can find answers to this question by studying a wide range of animal species that inhabit various habitats and have different lifestyles. In the wild, such studies are very challenging. However, we can also study the animals in naturalistic settings at zoos and thus gain insights into their natural abilities.

This project is a collaboration with the Department of Behavioral Ecology at the University of Bern (learn more). We are studying the spatial learning ability of large Madagascar day geckos that roam freely within the Masoala Rainforest.

To do this, we fill feeding boxes placed near the animals with their favorite food. This allows us to observe how the geckos learn to find their food. This, in turn, helps us better understand how geckos navigate their complex three-dimensional environment under natural conditions.