Consciousness is a ‘realistic possibility’ in birds, fish, squid and bees, scientists say

By means of Canadian Press

April 22, 2024 | 11:45 am

ST. JOHN’S, NL — Biologists, cognitive scientists and philosophers around the world say there is a reasonable possibility that the vast majority of creatures on Earth are conscious in some way.

The New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness was released Friday with 39 signatories from universities from Canada to Australia saying there is “at least a realistic possibility” that all vertebrates and many invertebrates have consciousness.

The statement is based on recent studies showing that garter snakes can recognize their own scent, crows can report what they see, octopuses can avoid pain and fruit flies can sleep – and that they sleep best when they are with other fruit flies.

Kristin Andrews, a professor of philosophy at the University of York, says scientific evidence supports the idea that it “feels like something” when a fish is caught with a hook, but it is not yet clear whether that is pain or fear.