While most of us accept that we can’t communicate with animals the same way we do with other humans, there are a few exceptions.
Some species, like parrots, have the ability to imitate human speech remarkably well, sometimes even learning phrases and full sentences.
A video from 2012 has resurfaced on social media, and instead of being amused, most people are downright horrified by what they hear.
Although the news anchors in the clip described the beluga as cute and friendly, the general reaction online has been anything but reassuring.
Meanwhile, another commenter pointed out: “The female reporter: ‘He looks kinda friendly’.”
Someone else couldn’t help but laugh at the contrast between the reporter’s reaction and the unsettling image, saying: “I laughed so hard when she said ‘he looks kinda friendly’ right as that terrifying picture came up.”
One person attempted to explain why this happens, noting: “It makes sense if you think about how the beluga is only mimicking what he can hear.”
If you thought this was just an isolated case, you’d be mistaken…
Earlier this year, an audio recording from 2018 resurfaced, revealing an orca imitating human speech in a similarly eerie way.
Researchers from Germany, Spain, the UK, and Chile worked together to document their findings, confirming that orcas have the ability to mimic human language.
Discussing the significance of this discovery, Josep Call, a professor in the evolutionary origins of the mind at the University of St Andrews and co-author of the study, spoke to CBSN.
Adding to this, he noted: “They can also copy body movements, we knew this from before, but now we know that they can also copy sounds and sounds that are not in their natural repertoire.”
