France - February 18, 2025 Mediterranean Sea – Wild fish are capable of recognizing individual divers based on visual cues, a new study has revealed. Conducted by the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, the research showed that local fish could distinguish between divers by their gear and choose to follow the one who provided them with food. Over the course of the study, fish were trained to follow a specific diver, learning to associate them with rewards. When tested with a second diver, the fish were able to identify the diver who fed them, demonstrating a surprising level of cognitive ability. The study challenges previous assumptions about fish intelligence and opens the door to the possibility of complex, differentiated relationships between humans and wild fish.