Researchers at the Sydney Zoo, Australia, conducted an experiment with cheetahs using a robotic dog created by Chinese startup Unitree named Sparky.

Robotic dog ended up in Australian zoo – Photo: Reproduction / ND

The toy was placed face to face with the animals. Of course, the presence of the object did not go unnoticed by them, who showed great curiosity and interest.

The researchers say the cats were trying to scale the size of the object in front of them. After that, the animals were surprised. What surprised the scientists the most was that they did not attack the robot, as the videos they released show.

The purpose of the study is to test how animals will react to a robotic presence, which could be a good resource for interacting with animals in the future.

The robot dog came to the zoo. Animals weren’t fans. #StrictlyRobots pic.twitter.com/usobMVXq3P

— Mashable (@mashable) April 20, 2022