Otters, but not apes, prepare for mutually exclusive possibilities.
Sara Torres Ortiz, Kasper Fjorside, Paula Fuentes Raigal, Rocío Canales, Magnus Wahlberg
This study shows otters outperform chimpanzees in a task requiring preparation for mutually exclusive outcomes, suggesting adaptive cognition shaped by ecological demands rather than social complexity.
bioRxiv · Feb 5, 2026 · PreprintAnimal Behavior & Cognition