A new study in PLOS One reveals that beluga whales have passed the mirror self-recognition test, joining an exclusive club of animals thought to possess self-awareness. Researchers analyzed over two decades of footage from a New York aquarium, documenting two whales—Natasha and her daughter Maris—exhibiting behaviors suggesting they recognize their own reflections.

The mirror test, developed in 1970, involves marking an animal with a spot they can only see via reflection. If the animal investigates the mark, it suggests self-recognition. Natasha notably pressed her marked ear against the mirror, while both whales increased mirror interaction after being marked. The footage shows them stretching, pirouetting, and nodding in front of the reflective surface.

Beyond humans, only great apes, elephants, dolphins, and a few other species have convincingly passed this test. Dogs and cats consistently fail despite apparent intelligence. The findings reignite debates about consciousness across species and whether the test truly measures self-awareness or reflects human-centric assumptions about perception.

Critics argue the mirror test suffers from anthropocentrism, as animals may simply not care about reflections or find them irrelevant to their sensory experience. The beluga results, while intriguing, highlight how little we understand about consciousness in non-human minds.