Austrian researcher Alice Auersperg was looking for examples of animals using tools for various purposes when she came across Veronika. The 13-year-old cow lives in a village in Austria and is kept as a pet.
Among other things, Veronika uses a wooden broom to scratch herself. According to the researchers, this behavior is rare among cattle. The behavior has now been published in a scientific article, and Auersperg questions the view of cows as stupid.
She believes it may be more a matter of livestock being kept in environments that do not encourage cognitive stimulation, while Veronika lives in a stimulating environment.
