David Attenborough was inaccurately associated with a misleading online assertion concerning 'black and red ants in a container'.

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Social media platforms are buzzing with discussions about animal behavior, captivating the interest of many. While these conversations offer valuable insights into the fascinating world of animals, it's important to remain vigilant as some posts may contain misleading information. With the abundance of content circulating online, distinguishing between accurate observations and misinformation becomes crucial in ensuring that our understanding of animal behavior is based on reliable sources and scientific evidence.

Social Media Posts

A statement attributed to David Attenborough suggests that if 100 black ants and 100 red ants are put in a jar and shaken, they will start killing each other. The statement likens it to societal conflict, where the real enemy is the one who shakes the jar. It further states that if no one shakes the jar, there is no conflict between ants.

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Users commented on it like below.

We decided to do a fact-check on this.

Fact Check

Attenborough's Denial: David Attenborough's lawyer, Michael Ridley, stated to AFP that Attenborough "categorically denies ever having made any such statement." This directly contradicts the attribution of the quote to Attenborough.

Expert Opinion: Entomologists, such as Associate Professor Lori Lach from James Cook University and Professor Philip S. Ward from the University of California Davis, refuted the scenario described in the statement. They explain to AFP that regardless of whether a jar containing ants is shaken or not, ants of different species tend to behave aggressively towards each other due to differences in smell. The related AFP article can be read here.

Ant Behavior: Ant behavior is not solely determined by external factors like shaking a jar. Even if the jar is not disturbed, ants of different species are likely to exhibit aggressive behavior towards each other due to their natural instincts, driven by differences in odor and territorial behavior. More details can be read from here and here

A related video of interspecies war can be watched below.

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Conclusion:

The claim attributing the statement to David Attenborough is false. Attenborough denied making such a statement, and entomologists explained that the scenario described in the claim does not accurately reflect ant behavior. Based on their natural instincts and differences in odor, ants are likely to exhibit aggression towards individuals of different species regardless of whether the jar is shaken. Therefore, this claim is not supported by evidence and should be regarded as misleading.