The lurking hypothetical planet
When it comes to humans, around 90% of us are right-handed while the remaining 10% are left-handed. Up until recently, it was believed that animals didn't have a preference, but modern research has shown that the majority of animals do choose to use one hand (or paw, hoof, or tentacle!) over the other(s). It also seems that animals have higher instances of left-handedness than humans. In fact, the pet sitting on your couch right now could be left-handed and you never knew. Perhaps when you ask a dog for a paw, they're inadvertently showing you which paw is dominant.
Curious to know which animal species are left- or right-handed? Then check out this gallery to learn more.
Every animal is unique and has a preferred side. Observe your pet when they do certain activities like picking up food or toys. If your pet uses the same paw several times in succession to reach for the item, you can determine whether your animal is right- or left-pawed.
A study published by the journal Royal Society Open Science found a fun way to determine the preference of elephants based on the wrinkles on their trunks. The wrinkles tend to appear more on the side of the trunk that is used most often by the elephant, because of how they bend to pick things up.
The elephant’s whiskers also tend to be slightly shorter on that side due to constantly brushing off things. Fact: just like us humans, elephants get more wrinkly as they age!
Cats have a higher probability of being left-handed than humans. About 46 % of cats are considered left-pawed. Adorable!
Man's best friend and cuddle partner is also classified as either left-pawed or right-pawed About 47% of dogs are left-pawed, leaning more towards males than females.
This is a tricky one as we all know that octopuses have eight tentacles. However, a study showed that out of their eight tentacles, the octopuses had clear preferences, favoring one particular tentacle to retrieve food out of an experimental maze.
The majority of ring-tailed lemurs have a strong left-hand preference. In captivity, it has been observed that males and some females are left-handed, but it could be different in the wild.
Kangaroos have a 95% left-hand preference. A study observed 38 eastern greys, and noticed that they all prefered using their left paw to groom themselves and to bring food to their mouths.
Our strong honey-making workers also have preferences as to which side they choose. Some bees show strong left-side bias, whereas others prefer right. Their choice of side usually influences their direction when dodging obstacles in flight.
Polar bears tend to be left-handed more often than right. They approach their prey by covering their black noses with their right paw for better camouflage against the snow, then attack ruthlessly with their left paw.
Around 66% of orangutans are lefties. While most other primates, like gorillas and bonobos, tend to be right-handed, orangutans choose differently. Similar to humans, their hand preference comes from the brain.
Being left-handed doesn’t mean that orangutans are less skillful. They hunt food, make cozy nests, and swing from trees. Whatever the task may be, they do it skillfully with no signs of struggle.
You can determine whether a squirrel is left- or right-pawed simply by observing their eating habits. Squirrels always use their dominant paw to hold the food they are eating.
However, the choice can sometimes be determined by the direction of an acorn's stripes.
Chimps are very similar to humans and can be either left- or right-handed. However, according to a study done by scientists in Japan, it was observed that chimpanzees use rocks to break nuts, and each one would consistently use either their left or right hand.
Marmosets usually use both of their hands for most activities, such as eating and playing. Their use of hands mostly depends on their posture. If they are upright, they use both hands, but if given a choice, they generally choose the left.
Almost 30% of the rabbit population is known to be left-footed. This is usually determined by how they initiate their leaps and hops. An interesting fact about bunnies is that they never like to be alone and it can make them depressed.
Who would have thought that giraffes could be lefties? Well, they tend to prioritize moving their left leg first when splaying their legs. Giraffes are either lefties or righties when it comes to their necks. This is mostly seen when they cross necks in battle, and always respect their opponent’s side preference.
Fact: Here is something you probably didn't know about giraffes! The name is derived from the Arabic word zarafa which means one who walks swiftly.
Penguins tend to show slight dominance to a certain flipper, it could be left for some and right for others. During a brawl, 70% of penguins show left-handed tendencies when attacking an opponent's right side.
Fiddler crabs, also known as calling crabs, are usually said to be left-handed due to the enlarged left claws found in males. These claws are used in combat over territories and courtship.
Fact: Calling crabs got their name because they keep waving their enlarged chela (claw) as if calling out to someone.
Parrots are seen to be more left-footed than right-footed, as when given food they usually reach out their left foot to grab it.
These glossy Australian cockatoos prefer using their left foot and left eye for grabbing food and doing activities.
Similar to the Carnaby's black cockatoo, these Australian birds also prefer using their left foot and left eye for most activities.
Whales are mammals of the ocean, who dive down to the bottom of the sea for food. They perform acrobatic dives and twirls to sweep up millions of krill. A study showed that they don't just spin randomly—they have a preferred side.
Whales also dive to shallower depths in the ocean and roll 180 degrees to get more food. Blue whales turn more to the left than the right at these depths.
It's not known whether these majestic creatures are predominantly left- or right-hooved. But many horses prefer to lead with one leg when they run around on corners, so it's clear that they do have a preference.
Like many of the other animals on this list, lizards often prefer to lean on their left sides.
Sources: (Science ABC) (Science Direct) (Psychology Today) (BBC) (Guardian) (MyNews) (National Geographic) (Wildside Nature) (The Times) (CBC)
See Also: The world's smartest animals
Do animals have dominant 'hands' like humans?
Is your pet a lefty or a righty?
LIFESTYLE Nature
When it comes to humans, around 90% of us are right-handed while the remaining 10% are left-handed. Up until recently, it was believed that animals didn't have a preference, but modern research has shown that the majority of animals do choose to use one hand (or paw, hoof, or tentacle!) over the other(s). It also seems that animals have higher instances of left-handedness than humans. In fact, the pet sitting on your couch right now could be left-handed and you never knew. Perhaps when you ask a dog for a paw, they're inadvertently showing you which paw is dominant.
Curious to know which animal species are left- or right-handed? Then check out this gallery to learn more.