timelets

Once thought to be uniquely human, deceit has been found in animals from scrub jays to wolves and all families of monkeys and apes. In most of these species it involves simply suppressing information, such as one’s knowledge of a food source, so that one can feed without having to share. In the Odyssey, too, Odysseus deceives most often by withholding information, especially the one piece of information he knows better than anyone, his identity.

Many researchers suggest that deception in other species does not usually involve intentions to create false beliefs.

Brian Boyd, ibid.