Kea

Keas are the world's only alpine parrots, surviving New Zealand's harsh mountain environment through exceptional behavioral flexibility and destructive curiosity. They systematically disassemble objects, explore novel situations fearlessly, and solve complex puzzles. This 'neophilia' - attraction to novelty - enables rapid learning but creates notorious conflict with human infrastructure.

Keas attack cars, tear apart tramping huts, and steal anything removable. This destructive exploration isn't malicious - it's aggressive learning. Every object is a puzzle to be solved, every novel situation an opportunity to gather information. The same drive that enabled survival in unpredictable alpine environments makes them frustrating neighbors.

The business parallel applies to disruptive innovation and its social costs. Some organizations approach markets with kea-like neophilia - systematically testing boundaries, breaking conventions, and exploring novel approaches. This generates innovation but creates friction with established players and regulators. Like keas damaging cars, disruptive companies often impose costs on incumbents and infrastructure.

Keas also demonstrate that intelligence requires appropriate environmental challenge. Alpine New Zealand offered unpredictable resources requiring flexible foraging strategies. Cognitive sophistication evolved in response to environmental complexity. Organizations similarly develop capability when facing appropriately challenging environments - too stable an environment doesn't select for adaptive intelligence.