Donald R. Griffin

Donald R. Griffin was a pioneering American ethologist and biologist best known for his groundbreaking research on animal cognition and communication. In the 1950s, he demonstrated that bats use echolocation to navigate and hunt in the dark, challenging the belief that only humans use complex sensory systems. His work expanded understanding of animal intelligence, showing that many animals are capable of sophisticated perception and processing. Griffin's research helped bridge our knowledge of animal behavior and cognition, emphasizing that animals are more perceptive and mentally active than previously recognized, which influenced fields like ethology, psychology, and animal welfare.