Arctic Tikos

The arctic tiko is one of the most famous examples in modern popular media and internet culture about them being sapient or of the same intellgience as humans. And they present the strongest cases for being sapient as they are the only pescanguids to have actual domesticated pets that they actively and regularly take care of. Historical accounts dating back to the 12th century in Ancient Greece have evidence of arctic tikos showing signs that some thinkers of the time described as "human", indeed many at the timed believed the arctic tikos and their kin to be the people of the water that Poseidon hid from humans. This page will provide a deep and in depth analasys of arctic tikos and why they may qualify to be described as people and not animals.

An Arctic Tiko about to throw a strick for its Coastal Shrieker Herou to retrieve

Herous (Aptenodytes forsteri familiaris)

The most obvious and most telling example of the high intelligence of Arctic tikos is their domesticated penguins, often called herous named by early explorers after the Proto-German word for “herd” as the arctic tikos were seen “herding” the herous. Herous seem to be reliant on Arctic tikos and spend a lot of, if not all of, their time with them. The Arctic tikos have selectively bred them into three distinct breeds: Eastport Swiper, Arctic Diver, and Coastal Shrieker and all seem to be bred from the Emperor penguin. Though not entirely clear, it is believed based on Arctic tiko range and sightings of their travels that Arctic tikos may have come across the penguins in the past and stayed with them, studying them and building trust and may have visited these penguins frequently. Over time, the trust and bond between the ancestral acrtic tikos and these penguins solidified to where the birds would migrate with the tikos to their homes in the arctic. Based off of behaviours observed in modern tikos, ancestral arctic tikos may have carried some herous eggs in their extended lower jaw adapted for grappling and carrying objects. And as generations passed, tikos would solidify domestication of these penguins and eventually give rise to what we now recognise as herous. There have been many cases throughout history of humans stealing herous, but oftentimes the herous don’t survive long or try their best to escape. This has led many to believe that the herous have a strong emotional bond to tikos that can cause immense distress and even illness if not near them. This means the tiko has bred them to be entirely dependent on tikos, even more of an extreme to our own relationship with dogs and cats

Eastport Swiper

The Eastport Swiper has been bred for quick maneuverability. Despite only ranging in heights of 51.8-61cm (1.7-2ft) in height, they are surprisingly quick and agile on land. And they possess long beaks ending in hooks that hold a strong grip. Which makes them experts at swiping, hence the name. Arctic tikos seem to use them to reach places on land that they themselves cannot. These herous typically are brownish grey with black spots and fiery orange heads, a result of domestication most likely. In addition to the colouration, they also have longer, thicker legs to enable easier footing on the ground and are often seen in northern coastal areas, scurrying around with objects in their beaks. Items can range from articles of food to anything of interest to either the swiper itself to the tiko behind its orders. While they are adept at swimming, they often have difficulty keeping up with their owners in the water due to their more terrestrial adaptations, so they are often seen congregating near the shores or edges of the water, waiting for a swim or visit with the arctic tikos.

Arctic Diver

The Arctic Diver is the most well known breed of herou. And seem to be the breed with the closest bond with Arctic tikos as well as the second most striking with their fiery red and yellow facial stripes and grey, black, or white stripes and blotches. They have been bred to be much more aquatic in their lifestyle with their impressive heights ranging 165-180cm (5.5-5.11ft) in height. Making them some of the largest extant penguins alive today. In addition to their impressive height, they have barrel-chested torso housing powerful lungs that enable the herou to spend up to an hour underwater. Their body is perfectly hydrodynamic for swimming underwater, to the point that Divers spend almost their entire lives underwater, rarely coming onto land unless to lay eggs or made to do so by their tikos. These impressive herous spend all their time with tikos and will even hunt for them, bringing back any food or underwater object they find. Their beak is lined with serrated edges that look like sharp teeth from a distance and on the inside of the mouth, the papillae are gnarly and sharp, looking like a movie monster mouth. This makes them formidable predators and the best protectors for tiko and tiko pups, hence why they are more valued by tikos and are the most common herou breed found. If the shriekers are equivalent to chihuahuas, then the divers are equivalent to golden retrievers; fiercely loyal and highly affectionate. The diver even has a specific call that only arctic tikos seem to understand. Even other penguins don’t understand this call.

Coastal Shrieker

The Coastal Shrieker is the most visually striking of the herou breeds, likely being bred for their colours, patterns, and soft fuzzy coats. Reaching heights of 94-100cm (3-4ft), they are in the middle of the two extreme sizes. Typically, they range in colours from fiery oranges to mustard yellows and their patterns are wild from giraffe-like spots with intermittent wavy lines to plain coats with multiple tiny spots of white or black. But no matter the colour, they retain their puffy coats, a holdover from their fledgling coats that they have selectively been bred to keep into adulthood. And as the name suggests, they produce loud, obnoxious shrieks and calls. It’s believed they were bred to produce these sounds to alert tikos nearby of any terrestrial dangers or to even ward them off. While not exactly impressive with their size, the loud calls definitely deter any potential predators. Indeed, the puffy coat seems to give them the appearance of a fledgling, combine this with their calls and a predator might be hesitant to go near it as the calls may attract a much more formidable threat. Their puffy coats make them slow in the water, but it doesn’t seem to cause too much trouble as some tikos that aren’t as active swimmers as others enjoy the company of them despite their notably feisty and aggressive behaviour.

Eastport Swiper

Arctic Diver

Coastal Shrieker

Self Awareness

Arctic Tikos present a very promising case of self awareness, often with individuals being able to recognise images of themselves and others they know or don’t know. And, although the mirror test often has mixed results, Arctic tikos have proven to pass it. In several experiments done at the Portland Institute of Cetophian Studies in Maine, the subjects being studied would often pose in front of the mirrors as if to “check themselves out” as well as taking certain items from the seabed to “wear” and admire how they may look with the item in question on them. One subject, nicknamed Diego, was observed putting various types of crab on his head, often switching between different kinds of crab, humorously similar to a human trying on different hats. And Diego is just one example. Every Arctic tiko that has visited the institute has passed the mirror test with flying colours. Outside of the mirror test itself, the arctic tikos studied at other institutions or out at sea have proven to have their own self awareness. Such as Dr. Tiana Miller and her team of researchers off the coast of Alaska playing a recorded sound of one subject nicknamed Stuart, first to his fleet members and then to himself. The members of his fleet hearing his voice recording looked around, trying to find him and then presented confusion upon seeing him not make the sounds himself. While simultaneously, Stuart exhibited signs of confusion when hearing his own vocal calls that he himself was not making at the time. This showed Dr. Miller and her group that Stuart recognised his own voice, as well as his fleet recognising his own voice. And after the test itself, the fleet recognised the source of the calls and Stuart then investigated and then broke the speakers playing his call, giving a shake of his head, which is a common sign of annoyance amongst Arctic tikos.

Problem Solving

Aside from the aforementioned herous, arctic tikos exhibit a myriad of other examples that show off their adept problem solving skills. In a series of experiments conducted at the University of Alaska's Marine Behavioural Laboratory, arctic tikos were presented with various challenges designed to test their problem-solving abilities. One experiment involved a sealed container with fish inside, which could only be opened by a specific sequence of actions. The tikos quickly learned to manipulate the container, using their fins and dexterous bottom jaw to unlock it and access the fish. This behaviour shows not only an understanding of cause and effect but also the ability to plan and execute complex actions. Additionally, they proceeded to take the containers back to their fleet, likely enjoying them. Another notable example of their problem-solving prowess was observed in the wild by marine biologist Dr. Laura Simmons. She recorded an Arctic tiko using a piece of seaweed to coax prey out of a crevice and then subsequently scaring the prey back into its crevice, showing not just tool use, but playful behaviour acting outside of a search for food. Arctic tikos have also been observed modifying their environment to suit their needs. While it may seem frivolous to point out small points when there are other more compelling cases of sapience, it is also important to compile every detail that may provide sufficient data.

Sociality

Tikos of the Tikonnis genus are inherently social and communicative, but the behaviours and social groups of arctic tikos often present a much more advanced sign of intelligence that may provide further evidence to their sapience. Arctic tikos are very widespread across multiple northern oceans and, much like humans, are separated by fleets of different calls, behaviours, appearances, and even hunting strategies. No matter the different “cultures”, a common theme of every arctic tiko group or community consists of them living in highly organised fleets with a complex social hierarchy and cooperation that parallels human cultures in an eerily familiar way. These fleets, typically consisting of 20-60 individuals depending on geographic location or environment, function through a system of roles and responsibilities, with clear leaders and specialised roles such as hunters, protectors, herous trainers and caretakers, caretakers of the young, etc.

One compelling aspect of their sociality is their ability to communicate using a sophisticated array of vocalisations like clicks, hisses, whistles, and chirping and body language such as fin movements, head and neck movement, or even body orientation.. Researchers at the University of British Columbia have documented a diverse repertoire of calls and gestures used by arctic tikos to convey information, coordinate activities, and maintain social cohesion. These vocalisations include specific calls for identifying individuals, signalling danger, and coordinating group hunting strategies. Arctic tikos also are well known for their deep emotional bonds and empathy both with one another and their herous, but also other animals in their environment and even in many cases with humans. In several documented instances, tikos have been observed consoling distressed members of their fleet, often through physical touch and soothing vocalisations or chirping that can be interpreted as singing.. Dr. Rachel Thompson's field studies in the Arctic Ocean reported an incident where a teenage tiko, separated from its mother, was guided back to the group by several adults who exhibited protective and comforting behaviours. Arctic tikos show very strong signs of active emotional minds, which while not exclusive to less potentially sapient animals, is recorded as very common in animals with high intelligence and capacity. It is not common, however, for individual animals having a struggling form of panic to be comforted by others of their families or social units. Such is the case with an incident near Baffin Bay, where an adolescent tiko, having ventured too far from its fleet, exhibited behaviours akin to what could only be described as a panic attack. The tiko was seen being restless and anxious, swimming in circles and coming above water for air multiple times while producing distressing chirps and hisses upon realising he was isolated. After an exhaustive search, his fleet found the adolescent and immediately surrounded him, offering physical comfort through gentle nudges and soothing vocalisations as they helped raise him to the surface to prevent his drowning once he had seized up.. Within minutes, the adolescent's panic subsided, and he calmed down, reassured by the presence and support of his peers.

As is the case with many social animals, arctic tikos have many cases of information being passed down and shared with younger individuals in the social unit. Observations by marine biologist Dr. Samuel Reyes off the coast of Greenland revealed that arctic tikos engage in learned behaviours passed down through generations with many cases of elders or learned individuals providing many “lessons” with the young on portraying certain behaviours.. For example, unique hunting techniques and social rituals, such as synchronised swimming patterns used in courtship displays or social dancing, are taught to tikos nearing adolescence.

Environmental Interaction

The interaction arctic tikos have with their surroundings goes beyond basic survival, such as building homes or creating dig outs in the seabed for playful activities or artistic expression. One of the most obvious examples already provided on this page would be their domestication of herous, which they have bred into specific breeds for distinct tasks, indicating advanced planning and selective breeding skills. They are also known to engage with human-made objects in ways that suggest more than mild curiosity. Numerous accounts describe arctic tikos stealing items from boats and coastal settlements for study and curiosity, and occasionally returning the objects if they gathered what they wanted or found the objects not worth the interest. For instance, researchers in the Beaufort Sea documented a group of tikos repeatedly taking and returning a set of brightly coloured buoys, appearing to study their buoyancy and movement in the water and dragging them deeper and releasing to see how quickly they return to the surface. Additionally, they were caught wrapping the buoys to other animals to see if the devices would bring the organisms to the surface. This behaviour was recorded over several weeks, demonstrating a sustained interest and investigative approach that hints at a deeper cognitive engagement with their environment.

In addition to their interactions with human artifacts, arctic tikos construct and utilise sophisticated settlements. These settlements include underwater icy caves and dug-out sand beds on the ocean floor, which they use as communal sleeping areas, nurseries for their young, and storage for food and other items. The construction of these shelters requires a significant understanding of their environment and the materials available to them. For example, in the Chukchi Sea, a fleet of arctic tikos was observed creating an extensive network of tunnels and chambers within a large iceberg by using rocks and sharp seashells to carve away at the ice. They would alternate between one another almost as if engaging in “shifts” so that every individual engaged with the task at hand. Once the tunnels were dug out entirely. The fleet used these tunnels for several seasons and, as of the last report in June of 2023, are still using it. This demonstrates not only their ability to manipulate their environment to meet their needs but also their capacity for long-term planning and social organisation while also shedding more light on their social units.

A particularly intriguing behaviour involves arctic tikos' use of sea urchins. Multiple accounts document them consuming specific plants known to nullify the toxins of sea urchins before and after embedding urchin spines in precise patterns and locations on their bodies, akin to tattooing. This practice, commonly observed among adolescents and adults, suggests a form of cultural expression or social signalling as well as at least a base level understanding of their own anatomy and the anatomy of one another as often this tattooing involves more than one tiko where one holds the urchin carefully in its mouth while the other lies still for the tattooing. The tikos' ability to identify and use these plants to safely handle toxic urchins demonstrates an advanced understanding of local flora and fauna, as well as a deliberate, methodical approach to body modification that goes beyond mere survival.

Human Interaction

Historically, Arctic tikos have demonstrated a nuanced understanding of human behaviour and technology, often adapting their actions based on these interactions. For instance, there have been numerous accounts of arctic tikos using human fishing gear to their advantage such as using nets for artistic expression or for their shelters or using lobster traps to contain stones and rocks. In one documented case, a group of arctic tikos was observed coordinating to steal fish from a net set by a research vessel. Rather than indiscriminately tearing the net, they carefully removed fish without damaging the equipment, suggesting an understanding of tool use as well as understanding the consequences by humans if they outright damaged the nets. Much like crows, arctic tikos are able to recognize individual humans from others and choose how to react to these humans based on their encounters with them. In a study conducted off the coast of Greenland, a researcher observed that a particular fleet of arctic tikos became notably more cooperative and less wary after repeated, non-threatening encounters with the same research team, yet showing awkward unfamiliarity when a separate team visited them in the same place as the previous team. In times of loneliness or sometimes of their own curiosity, arctic tikos willingly visit humans or attempt a friendly relationship with them. An example being an Arctic tiko named Luna, who became famous for her interactions with a coastal community in Iceland. Luna regularly approached the harbour, seeking out human companionship despite having her own fleet that lived a few miles away from the coast. She was observed engaging in complex play behaviours with local children, such as playing fetch with floating objects and even mimicking human actions. Even to this day, Luna visits her human friends and as of November 23, 2023, she has two pups that she has brought to the town to introduce to everyone.

Arctic tikos have been documented engaging in what appears to be purposeful signalling to humans. In a notable incident in the Bering Sea, a group of arctic tikos was seen repeatedly breaching near a stranded fishing boat, directing their vocalisations and movements towards the vessel and after a few confusing moments, the crew eventually realised they were being led towards a safe passage out of a hazardous ice field. This case, as well as countless others, provide clear proof and examples of the potentiality and possibility for inter-species communication. But it’s not just humans ourselves that arctic tikos have shown interest in as they have shown empathy and affection towards dogs and cats in coastal towns, villages, and cities. Numerous accounts describe tikos approaching dogs and cats, engaging in gentle and curious interactions. They seem to understand the roles these animals play in human societies, often approaching them with a sense of respect and curiosity. In a coastal village in Norway, an arctic tiko was seen gently nudging a stray dog with its snout, then sitting back as if observing the dog’s reaction. Over the following weeks, the tiko returned regularly, interacting peacefully with the village's dogs and cats. In one documented case from a small fishing town in Canada, an arctic tiko was observed bringing fish to a group of stray cats. This behaviour continued over several days, with the tiko seemingly feeding the cats in a manner akin to human caregivers. This interaction was noted by local residents, who reported that the tiko would often watch the cats eat before returning to the sea and coming back in a few days to check up on the cats.

Although arctic tikos are fiercely protective of their herous, there are intriguing accounts of tikos allowing humans to study herous with a unique unspoken agreement that the tikos themselves are allowed to observe and interact with domestic dogs and cats. This tacit agreement has been observed in various research settings, where tikos show an unusual tolerance for human presence around their herous as long as they are allowed to investigate human pets in return. This shows a promising example of what can only be described as diplomacy and understanding of relationships and boundaries.

Recognising Another Race

Recognizing arctic tikos as another intelligent race on the planet requires a significant amount of accountability in terms of how arctic tikos have been treated by humans both historically and in modern times. And the mass killings and capture of them in the past for resources and entertainment respectively may be counted in the future as targeted genocide and slavery which will not bode well in terms of peaceful coexistence. If we were to establish them as people, it would mean an immediate necessity to establish communication and diplomatic laws with a race of people we have the privilege to share a planet with. Fostering a relationship of mutual respect is crucial and it would be important to note that we must approach arctic tikos not as subjects of study, but as peers capable of complex thought and emotion. Incorporating the perspective of arctic tikos into our broader environmental and ethical considerations can lead to a more inclusive understanding of intelligence and life on earth as well as changing the very fabric of how we perceive ourselves in the natural world. Given the human track record with our own extinct hominid relatives, our chances may look grim. But if we put aside anthropocentric views and strict biased mindsets, we may have a chance to form a peaceful coexistence.

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