Biologist James O’Hanlon explores tactical deception in nature, questioning whether animal behaviors like camouflage and deceptive alarm calls constitute true lying or simply survival strategies evolved in social settings.
Most deception in the natural world happens without conscious awareness from the creatures involved. Examples range from a moth evolving to look like a hornet to orchid mantises mimicking flowers to attract pollinators.
In his book Liars, Cheats and Copycats: Trickery and Deception in Nature, published in 2026 by Columbia University Press, biologist James O’Hanlon examines tactical deception designed to manipulate what other animals believe and whether human definitions of lying apply to the animal kingdom.
Beyond Human Morality in the Animal Kingdom
Scientists remain cautious about attributing human moral concepts to animals. According to O’Hanlon, human lying carries a value judgment regarding right and wrong, whereas animal deception operates differently.
O’Hanlon noted that observers must set aside human-centric ethical frameworks when studying other species, as morals are social constructs developed by humans to navigate their own societies.
Social Pressures and Monkey Alarm Calls
O’Hanlon highlights examples such as golden snub-nosed monkeys, which deploy deceptive alarm calls to frighten group members and steal their food. Over time, groups stop reacting to those calls as repeated false alarms lead other members to ignore the deceiver, suggesting that animal societies maintain internal checks and balances.
Splitting Automatic Camouflage from Tactical Choices
While tiger stripes or the camouflage of the pink orchid mantis work regardless of whether the animal is aware of them, tactical deception requires a level of intentionality or choice to function.
James O’Hanlon noted that discussing whether animals make a conscious decision risks creating the impression of squirrels twirling their mustaches and giggling at their own evil behavior, suggesting that may not be the correct way to think about lying and deception.
Drongos and Cuttlefish Versatility
Other species exhibit complex repertoires of deception.
The drongo, a bird known for deceiving meerkats, cycles through various alarm calls and mimics the vocalizations of other bird species.
Similarly, research on cuttlefish demonstrates that individuals can alter one side of their body to resemble a male and the other to look like a female, displaying tactical versatility that matches behaviors observed in large-brained mammals.
