It is an undeniable fact that humans sit at the top of the pyramid when it comes to intelligence. We display an adorable level of intelligence when it comes to problem-solving, abstract thinking, language usage and many more. However, while we seem to be enjoying the privilege as the most intelligent beings, it will interest you to know that other creatures have impressive levels of intelligence. Here is a rundown of the Top 10 Smartest Animals Have Been Ever Found.
1 Chimpanzees
Anyone familiar with their biology would not be surprised at this revelation. That is, chimps are the closest to humans regarding our DNA structure, how we socialize and how we adapt to environments. It may surprise you to know that chimps are also efficient with sign languages. Just like humans, they are flexible with they feed on, although they are mostly vegetarians. When compared with humans in the area of memory testing, chimps were discovered to outwit their human counterparts to some extent.
2 Dolphins
If you had only perceived dolphins as mere dolphins before now, then you should better change your perception about them. Can you ever imagine dolphins transferring a behavior that encourages the use of special tools from mothers to daughters? That is, they have a material they use to protect their snout in the course of searching for food. That is not all; other signs to indicate how intelligent these dolphins are include the production of unique clicks and whistles for language communication. There have been instances of dolphins teaming up with humans for fish hunting purposes as well.
3 Elephants
Elephants are not just big for nothing after all. The big size of their brains seems to have given them an advantage in the way they think. There is a great level of self-awareness amongst elephants. For instance; they are helpful to one another whenever one of them is in pain; they love to assist those who are in dire need of help, they love to play in the water and communicate with each other with the help of vibrations on their feet. Somewhere in Asia, an elephant was allowed to have a look at herself in a mirror, and the behavior was quite amazing – the elephant recognized herself. This is an act that can only be carried out by intelligent beings like humans, dolphins, and apes.
4 Cephalopods
Would you consider animals such as squids and octopi as smart? Well, know it from now – these cephalopods qualify as the smartest invertebrates in the water world. Although the location of their brain may sound fascinating because it surrounds their esophagus, it does share some complex features similar to the human brain such as having separate sections for handling tactile and visual information and folded lobes. The supposed smartness of this group of animals has been based around the fact that they are irrepressibly curious, they dislike boredom, and they love to explore the environment around them.
5 Crows
Are you looking for a crafty critter? The crow is one of them. They can make out tools from feathers, twigs, and other pieces of debris to enable them to snare foods from inaccessible areas. A crow was once seen retrieving food from a tube with the help of the hook she formed from a straight wire. These birds are brought up in an environment where they improvise with tools. They seem to perfect their trade by understudying those who are older than they are in their groups. This is nothing but a sheer sign of intelligence.
6 Rats
The ability for someone to think about thinking is referred to as metacognition. It was only until a few years ago that it was discovered that rats could make decisions and base those decisions on a number of considerations. Studies have further gone to explain that rats can dream just as we humans do and also do have great self-awareness. For instance, rats that are used as pets have been known to form strong bonds with their owners. They get used to their names and come whenever they are called. And they do love to spend time with their owners.
7 Dogs
There has been this debate amongst animal lovers whether dogs should be regarded as smart animals or animals that are only domestically obedient. Dogs can learn how to lie down, sit and fetch. Beyond these, they do possess the ability to read their owners’ intentions. Researchers believe they can locate food with their unique skills. They implement a special non-verbal skill which is similar to what humans use in interpreting someone else’ viewpoint.
8 Cats
Just like dogs, some cats have been well-trained to sit, lie down and do some other fun stuff. Cats learn mostly through imitation and observation. However, it must be stated that it is harder to train a cat than to train a dog. However, that does not make them any less intelligent. They mostly exist alone and are driven by the urge to survive. They qualify as an excellent pick as animals that can adapt to any environment.
9 Pigs
Based on various research and studies, pigs are the cleanest and perhaps the wisest animals you can find. You may find this hard to accept because of how they usually roll themselves with mud. The reason pigs roll in the mud is because they lack sweat glands that can help them release the heat in their bodies. Additionally, it has been discovered that pigs have excellent long-term memory abilities. They love to play with each other a lot.
10 Pigeons
This is going to shake your brain – it has been established that pigeons have the ability to learn abstract mathematics. Aside from rhesus monkeys, they are the only non-humans capable of this extraordinary intelligence. They possess the ability to make intelligent choices and develop great pigeon-problem-solving skills. Surprisingly, they are equally capable of recognizing people most likely based on their facial characteristics.
From the very big elephants to the very small rats to the aquatic octopi, you now understand that we are not alone in this world concerning intelligence and smart decision-making procedures.
