07/26/2025
Do reptiles feel emotions like optimism or anxiety? A groundbreaking new study says yes—and it’s rewriting what we thought we knew about reptile sentience.
Researchers tested red-footed tortoises using a method often applied to humans and mammals: a cognitive bias test. Tortoises kept in enriched, stimulating environments were more likely to interpret ambiguous situations optimistically—an indicator of a positive emotional state. Even more compelling, the same tortoises displayed lower anxiety in mildly stressful situations, suggesting their moods were not fleeting but long-lasting.
This is the first strong evidence that reptiles, like mammals and birds, can experience enduring emotional states. And because reptiles split from mammals and birds more than 300 million years ago, these findings hint at deep evolutionary roots for mood and emotion across the animal kingdom.
The implications are profound. As reptiles become increasingly common as pets and in zoos, recognizing their emotional complexity could transform how we care for them. It challenges us to reconsider what sentience looks like—and who we think is capable of feeling.
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RESEARCH PAPER 📄
Tatjana Hoehfurtner et al, “Evidence of mood states in reptiles.”, Animal Cognition (2025)
