Do Animals Have A Sixth Sense?

Key Points

• There are five senses that can be scientifically identified, the sense of smell, sight, hearing, taste and touch.
• Many have claimed that there is another sense which cannot be defined or identified within the known scientific parameters, it is called sixth sense.
• Sixth sense is often referred to the ability to sense things that go beyond the five senses. For example, animals can sense when a natural calamity is near, or dogs can sense any person’s intent and nature.

It is commonly known that animals have five main senses, touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing with the possible inclusion of balance. But is there really such a thing as having a sixth sense?

Most species of shark have sensors on the sides of their heads, which the sharks use to detect tiny muscle movements from creatures nearby. This “sixth sense” is known as electroreception and allows sharks to detect electromagnetic fields produced all animals.

For centuries now, it has also been questioned as to whether certain species of animal including rats, chickens, and snakes have the ability to detect earthquakes! These animals have to been known to leave earthquake zones up to days before the earthquake arrives, with this behavior also being displayed more recently during the devastating tsunami in southeast Asia in 2004 where there were very few wild animals harmed.

If you would like to read more about the studies into the sixth sense of animals please see:

• How Did Animals Escape the Tsunami?
• Can Animals Sense Earthquakes?

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