Dr. Natalia Borrego works with lion whisperer Kevin Richardson to carry out lion IQ tests. She believes that they are the smartest of all the cats.
Features
TRANSCRIPT
'So...here looks good.'
Natalia has designed a puzzle for the cats to solve.
A lion must work out how to open a door, then reach her head inside to get a reward.
'Good.'
There's nothing like this in nature, so to Jenny the Lion it's a Rubix cube.
'And if the lions come you just pop it back down.'
'Jenny!
Here, look here!'
First, she must figure out how to pull the door with her paw.
'Clever!'
'Oh, you're so clever.'
[Laughter] 'You're so clever my sweetie.
Oh, but it slams, eh!?' 'I think she's more interested in the box now than the food.'
Next, she needs to learn to stand back and allow the door to swing open.
'Get your head out of the way.
Get your head out of the way!'
[Laughter] Before finally, she can reach her head inside.
'That's not bad, I mean that's--' 'No, that's good.'
'Clever.'
'One more time?'
'Yes.'
'Two more times?'
'I think a couple more times.'
'A couple more times.'
'There see?
She got it.'
It's taken Jenny 20 minutes to figure it out, but now she's cracked it.
'There we go.'
'She's getting her head out of the way now.'
'There we go, one more time.
Ok, cool.'
'Yeah, there you go!
Well done.'
'That deserves a round of applause.'
Next, comes the crucial part of the test.
Kevin has brought the lions into an enclosure to allow pride-mate Libby to watch Jenny's efforts.
The ability to learn by watching others is considered a real sign of intelligence.
It would put lions in the company of the brightest minds in the natural world.
'Good!
Yeah, you slam that door.
That's it; stay open.
Good girl.' 'Oh, there she goes.'
'She can see what she's doing.'
'Yeah I think she's got it and it's time to let Libby out.'
If lions can learn from each other, Libby should solve the puzzle in seconds.
If not, it's going to take her another 20 minutes.
'Well, she goes to the right side..' [Laughter] 'There, I think - I don't think you can get any clearer than that.
That was amazing!'
'Here, here, here.'
'Good job Libby!'
