Olfactory-based interspecific recognition of human emotions: Horses (Equus ferus caballus) can recognize fear and happiness body odour from humans (Homo sapiens)

摘要: Abstract Emotional recognition has been demonstrated to occur between members of different species. However, the majority studies on interspecific communication emotions so far focused senses vision and hearing while contribution sense smell rarely studied in this context. Thus, aim our study was assess if horses display differential behaviour response human fear non-fear odour. Body odour samples were collected from 10 adult humans (Homo sapiens) happiness condition, respectively. The body these two conditions, together with a control then presented total 21 (Equus ferus caballus). We found that displayed some lifted their heads significantly more frequently for longer condition compared condition. Similarly, tended touch familiar person present during test Additionally, depending differed time they spent keeping ears back. These results can be explained context process domestication which may have favoured development ability recognize heterospecific emotions. To conclude, we provide evidence possible purely olfactory by horses.