Animals are smarter than they get credit for. Some have larger brains than ours and some even outperform humans at memory tasks. Science is still discovering how intelligent animals actually are. Here are 10 of the smartest.
10. Pigs
Often maligned for their poor hygiene and gluttony, pigs are highly intelligent animals. Wherever pigs have been introduced worldwide, they tend to outcompete native species due to their cleverness. Scientists found pigs could work out the concept of mirror reflection in five hours and find hidden food. Pigs understand human instruction and are as trainable as cats and dogs.
9. Octopuses
Octopuses are aware of their captivity. They are called the Houdinis of the animal kingdom because of their remarkable ability to escape human confinement. They can screw the lid off of the jar. Scientists have discovered they can navigate mazes, solve problems, and have good short-term memories. Researchers confirm octopi can recognize individual humans, even when wearing identical uniforms.
8. Dogs
Humankind’s best friend certainly is the smartest animal people keep as pets. Humans have trained dogs in countless ways to assist them. Dogs use instinct, adaptive problem-solving, and school learning to learn tasks and understand language. The smartest dog ever was Chaser, a border collie who recognized 1,022 words. Poodles are the second-smartest and can learn 400 words on average.
7. Crows
Crows in urban Japan were observed gathering nuts from trees, then placing them in the street for passing cars to crack open. Then, waiting for the light to change, they retrieve their snacks. Crows have demonstrated the ability to create tools, identify people and animals, and determine friend vs. foe. One study compared their reasoning power to a seven-year-old human.
6. African Grey Parrots
While many birds can mimic human speech, African Grey parrots are the most accomplished speakers. African Grey parrots can perform some cognitive tasks that are beyond 5-year-old humans. They can connect voices with individual human faces. A parrot named Alex learned more than 100 words, could add numbers, and differentiate between objects, colors, materials, and shapes.
5. Bumblebees
The world’s smartest insects, bumblebees can solve puzzles and possess exceptional navigational skills. In one experiment, bees formulated the optimal route to a flower with repeated visits, significantly reducing travel time. Like humans, bees create mental images of objects and can transmit recognition of objects across their senses, identifying objects in the dark by touch if seen before.
4. Gorillas
Along with chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans, gorillas can be trained to communicate using sign language. A gorilla named Koko mastered sign language and used more than 1,000 hand signals. Koko also understood 2,000 words of spoken English. In the wild, gorillas use tools, engage in active social lives, and even share a laugh.
3. Orangutans
Sharing over 96% of the same DNA as humans, orangutans can “talk” about the past, a behavior observed only in humans. They also warn their young about future dangers. Orangutans have been observed using tools in the wild and performed better than human children at making and using tools. Orangutans can weigh costs and benefits when exchanging goods.
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2. Dolphins
Dolphins have larger brains than humans. Scientists are still trying to unravel the sophisticated communication systems dolphins use. Some use name-like whistles to identify one another. Dolphins can mimic human behavior, learn and follow instructions, solve problems, teach others, and demonstrate self-awareness. Dolphins use echolocation to locate objects with sound. They use tools. Dolphins use ocean objects as toys.
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1. Chimpanzees
Many consider chimpanzees the world’s smartest animals. They’ve outperformed humans at memory tasks. Chimps use tools in the wild. They can use sign language. Chimpanzees remember a sign name for individuals they haven’t seen for several years. Chimpanzees have demonstrated advanced problem-solving, and have used symbols for objects and combined them in a sequence to convey a complex idea.
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