What if I told you that some animals have a memory span of just 2 to 3 seconds? Yap, you’ve heard me right!
Some of these creatures adapt relying on other senses to navigate their world. But does their short memory span impact their daily lives and survival?
Let’s learn more and find out which animals can literally forget what they’re doing in the middle of doing it.
1. Pigeons
Having a bad memory doesn’t always mean a bad thing. Let’s take pigeons, for instance. These birds have many other good traits, like the ability to carry messages over long distances.
But when it comes to their contextual memory – not their best side. Pigeons struggle to remember visual patterns and unfamiliar objects.
The fascinating part is that, despite their weakness, pigeons are highly trainable creatures.
These fellas prove that you can still thrive, even without having it all.
2. Turkey
Among the most forgetful creatures are the turkeys, large and colorful birds that you surely won’t forget seeing.
But let’s not judge, who can even remember everything living this fast-paced modern life?
Turkeys don’t let their limited short-term memory and forgetful tendencies stop them. Their great hearing and eyesight help them navigate everyday obstacles.
3. Giraffe
The giraffe’s short-term memory span is around 30 seconds. We’ve all been there – it’s like when you’re studying and forget what you just read the moment you turn the page.
But despite their limited memory, giraffes enjoy life, living in the moment without worrying about the past or future.
Being the tallest mammal in the world isn’t that easy, you just can’t have it all.
4. Chimpanzee
A weird combo – quite intelligent but unusually forgetful, yet it works for the chimp.
Not only is it forgetful, but it has an average short-memory span of about 20 seconds. Can you believe that?
It’s like when we go from one room to another, then stop, not knowing what we came for. But the chimpanzee has to deal with it all the time.
It must be tough, but there’s no need to feel sorry. Chimpanzees are so smart that they can beat humans in certain tests. They’ll be just fine.
5. Ostrich
Another bird, this time in a larger version – the ostrich. Curious, fearless, and incredibly forgetful.
Their short term memory is around 10 seconds, just enough to forget why and what they’re running from.
I wonder if that’s why their heads are so small?
6. Blue Tang Fish
Do you remember Dory from “Finding Nemo”? Yap, this is her!
A real fish species who is truly forgetful, just like its cartoon version.
The Blue Tang can easily figure its way around, since it has a strong navigational memory. But when it comes to retaining conceptual knowledge – not its strong suit.
But hey, at least it got famous because of that.
7. Hamster
Some people say that hamsters even forget what they are doing in the middle of it. I’m sure their boss isn’t impressed!
This creature’s short-term memory is no more than 3 seconds, making them among the most forgetful animals in the world. Yikes!
At least they’re cute, right?
8. Bees
The title of one of the most forgetful creatures in the world goes to the bees.
It is believed that their memory recall is around 2.5 seconds, but this won’t stop them from being such hard and efficient workers. I just hope they didn’t forget to ask for a raise!
We certainly won’t hold it against them, since they play such an important role in the environment.