Top 10 Smartest Animals

What makes the world so beautiful and enticing is the diversity. Just like every country has its own charm, so is the case with living organisms. Such a variety of species coming from such a variety of kingdoms! You may spot certain similarities between several mammals, but remember that apart from being separate entities, they do have their original characteristics. However, different animals are classified and ranked above others based on the functions that bind them together and categorize them under one name. Planet Earth comprises of primates, mammals, cetaceans, birds, reptiles, and many more among which human beings assume superiority with regards to intelligence and power. They fail to acknowledge the brilliance portrayed by some animals that breed and adapt to fluctuating weather conditions in such ingenious ways. Human beings might be gifted with the faculty of speech, but that doesn’t necessarily render them the smartest. Based on an animal’s ability to communicate and solve problems, its level of intelligence has been determined. Take a look at the top 10 smartest animals.

List Of Top 10 Smartest Animals

The list follows a descending order.

10 - Portia Labiata Jumping Spider

Alternatively known as the white-whiskered Portia, this creature is found in and around the secondary forests of Africa, Asia, and Australia. Various laboratory tests have proved that these spiders skillfully solve problems. They are well known for their ability to lure other spiders from their webs for food. They pull certain rhythms at the corner of a web to imitate a trapped bug and remember this rhythm pattern for future accomplishments! With fantastic eyesight, awe inspiring instinctive behavior and trial and error approach to hunting expertise, the Portia Labiata seldom fail in their endeavors to capture prey.

9 - Mouse

As we all know, mice are the most tested for scientific and psychological experiments. To one’s surprise, mice and rats are very quick learners. A recent study in 2007 revealed that they possess metacognition (a mental knack) which has only been documented to be present in humans and a few primates. Mice are ideal in detecting landmines and bombs due to their optimal sense of smell. Their sense of smell is so terrific that they can even identify human sputum samples infected with tuberculosis.

8 - Ravens & Crows

As members of the Corvidae family of birds, crows have topped the avian IQ scale (scientific test that determines bird intelligence). Tests have proved their adeptness in counting and distinguishing complex shapes. The most intriguing fact is that wild hooded crows in Israel use bread crumbs as a fish bait and wait patiently for their catch! Crows have mastered advanced plucking, smoothing, and bending methods to produce food out of twigs and grass. Ravens demonstrate their prowess as they cleverly drop nuts, clams and muscles on the highway until a car runs over them. They, then, swoop down to collect their prize!

7 - The Border Collie

Border Collie aren’t only great pets, but are also the greatest dogs in the world. They engage in sheep herding and handle different livestock. They are quick learners and dominate other dogs in sports like high jump, fly-ball, and even win dog dancing competitions! They possess a superb sense of smell and can immediately recognize their owner by his/her individual traits.

6 - North Pacific Giant Octopus

Residing deep within the ocean, the intellectual ability of this variety of octopus is astounding! They possess both short term and long term memory, alongside fantastic observational skills. Their sense of touch and eyesight are worth a mention as well. North Pacific Giant Octopuses are specially recognized for their mimicry and camouflaging abilities.

5 - African Grey Parrot

All parrots are famous for mimicking human speech, but African Grey Parrots are even more remarkable as they can derive meaning from the words they repeat and frame full sentences. They communicate with one another through songs, calls and intrinsic body language. Apart from imitating human speech impeccably, these creatures are gifted with the ability to mimic household noises and many more voices. A certain parrot from Japan can identify 50 different objects!

4 - Elephants

Elephants from various countries stand out amongst other animals as the symbol of wisdom and are respected for the unbeatable memory. They tend to remember the precise locations of watering and feeding holes in spite of not visiting them for ages, as they draw mental maps in their heads! They do have the privilege of possessing the largest brain in the animal kingdom. Elephants are often associated with a random assortment of behaviors, ranging from behaviors such as compassion, fun, games and even making music!

3 - Rhesus Macaque Monkey

Widely used in medical research, this breed of monkeys are lucky to inherit excellent memory and abilities to make self-decisions, from their genes. They are socially complex animals and systematically plan their attacks. They share many characteristics and traits (primarily vocal communication) with human beings and their intelligence aids them in winning innumerable competitions.

2 - Bottlenose Dolphins

Without a shadow of a doubt, bottlenose dolphins are the smartest creatures of the ocean. In fact, the cerebral cortex and frontal lobe of these animals are 40% larger than that of a human. It is very easy to train these dolphins, as they grasp ideas and solve problems very rapidly. They track down their prey by capitalizing on echolocation and use an intricate form of squeaking and whistling to communicate with one another.

1 - Chimpanzee

Not only do they excel at performing organizational thinking tasks, but exceed every other animal in terms of memory! Did you know chimpanzees can even be trained to use computers and solve numerical problems? They use advanced tools of knowledge to enhance their learning and very often take advantage of mental manipulation within their families. What is most fascinating is the fact that chimpanzees have been teaching their infants sign language without any need for human intervention. These animals have been climbing up the social hierarchy each day, with determination to exhibit superiority.

How to Cite

Related Articles

See also

More in 'Society'