• Question: Do animals have all five scenses like humans?

    Asked by gracet to Jo, Kevin, Valeria on 21 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Kevin Mahon

      Kevin Mahon answered on 21 Jun 2012:

      Intersting question! There is a bit of debate about what can be classed as a sense – some people say that by its definition senses are the 5 that humans have whereas others think there can be several more.

      Obviously, there are several naturally blind species (cave fish, star nosed moles, cave crikets) that cannot see so to answer your question – no!

      There are countless deaf animals also, mostly invertebrates like insects and worms.

      There are many deep sea species that have little or no sense of smell either!

      Many of these species may have senses that are in some ways similar to ours but function completely differently (snakes ‘tasting’ smells)

      There are as I said, many non human senses, like the ability to sense magnetism, electricity and pressure changes, but its safe to say there are loads of animals who don’t have the 5 sense that humans have!

    • Photo: Joanna Cruden

      Joanna Cruden answered on 21 Jun 2012:

      The five senses are; sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell, pretty much all mammals have these in one form or other. For other animals if they don’t have one sense the other senses are more enhanced, a bit like when a person is blind their hearing can become enhanced.

      Several people think there are more than 5 senses and it would not surprise me if this were true. Some animals can sense danger even when there seems like there is no danger about.

      We still have much to learn about them!

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