Whatever the mirror test tells us, beluga whales pass it
Beluga whales have demonstrated the ability to recognize themselves in a mirror, a cognitive skill previously undocumented in their species. A study published in PLOS One highlights the behaviors of two belugas, Natasha and Maris, as they interacted with a mirror. This finding places belugas among a select group of animals known to pass the mirror self-recognition test, which is often associated with self-awareness.
- ▪Beluga whales Natasha and Maris showed behaviors indicative of mirror self-recognition.
- ▪The mirror self-recognition test has been passed by a limited number of species, including humans and some great apes.
- ▪The study revisited and analyzed over two decades of underwater footage to assess the belugas' interactions with a mirror.
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| Original publisher | Ars Technica — Science |
| Canonical URL | https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/05/belugas-may-pass-the-mirror-test-but-does-the-mirror-test-still-pass/ |
| Publication time | Sun, 24 May 2026 11:15:38 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-24T11:52:32.372Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-24T11:52:32.372Z |
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What do we see? Whatever the mirror test tells us, beluga whales pass it The white whales join the short, contested list of animals that see themselves. Federica Sgorbissa – May 24, 2026 7:15 am | 0 Credit: David Merron Photography Credit: David Merron Photography Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav In hours of underwater video footage from a New York aquarium, a beluga whale named Natasha stretches her neck, pirouettes, nods, and shakes her head in front of a two-way mirror. Her daughter Maris does much the same.
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