# Ambidextrious Animals

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ambidextrious-animals/120718>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 25, 2002, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ambidextrious-animals/120718 "2002-07-25T06:00:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![maybesomeone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@maybesomeone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maybesomeone)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ambidextrious-animals/120718/1 "2002-07-25T06:00:26Z")

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Hi!  
Are animals right (handed/pawed/winged, etc.) vs. left (handed/pawed/winged) like humans are (i.e. having a dominant appendage that they use more often), or are they ambidextrous? I could see how maybe a mammal, such as a bear MIGHT be right pawed, vs. left pawed, but not necessarily a bird or a fish that depends on both sides being equal so that it may move forward instead of circles. Okay, MAYBE vultures are right or left winged, since we always see pictures of them circling their next meals!  
Thanks!  
Scott

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**Author:** ![mmmiiikkkeee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mmmiiikkkeee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmmiiikkkeee)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ambidextrious-animals/120718/2 "2002-07-25T06:10:37Z")

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No sources, but I’ve _heard_ that most animals would be left-handed (well those that have the capability to display a preference for one appendage over the other)… something to do with one of the brain hemispheres tending to be more dominant in animals, whereas the opposite hemisphere is more dominant generally in humans, who are mostly right handed.

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**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ambidextrious-animals/120718/3 "2002-07-25T07:04:51Z")

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Most right handed people are left footed. Watch water skiers…

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ambidextrious-animals/120718/4 "2002-07-25T07:18:29Z")

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**Cecil Adams** on [Is there such a thing as a left-handed cat?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_085.html)