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The 10 most intelligent animals that exist

The 10 most intelligent animals that exist

February 28, 2024

Intelligence is a very difficult term to define. In a simple way, it can be described as the capacity of solve problems and adapt to life .

Nobody would doubt that, within the animal kingdom, the human being has stood out above the other species for a greater development of their cognitive and social abilities. This fact causes that sometimes it is thought that the rest of animals are inferior in intelligence, a belief that is erroneous.

In the diversity of the animal kingdom there are species whose cognitive abilities are superior to those of others. In this article we analyze the most intelligent animal species that exist.


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Especially intelligent animals

The psychic capacity in animals is also a difficult value to measure, so to make a list of the most intelligent animals in the world is somewhat complicated.

You can make use of many criteria, such as the ability to learn in captivity, understanding and using language or the ability to plan an action or to abstract concepts. These ideas go far beyond the simple ability to solve problems that was mentioned at the beginning of the text.

Therefore, more than the typical "top ten", in this list I present a series of species, trying to encompass different kinds of animals whose cognitive abilities are superior to what many might think, research shows. Go for it.


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10. The ant

It is the insect with the highest cerebral mass that exists. The ant is an intelligent invertebrate, methodical and strategic. Their social organization is very complex , with hierarchies and diversification of work; for example, they have scouts for the recognition of the terrain.

The ants are capable of grow fungi or raise other invertebrates as food, besides presenting battle in a coordinated way to defend their territory.

9. The dog

"The best friend of man" is a species that has evolved in favor of the interests of the human being, but that does not mean that they are intelligent beings. In addition to being faithful friends, dogs are able to understand human language or , feel empathy towards other beings and apply logic to achieve their goals.


8. The gray parrot

The gray parrot is a bird that is not only able to imitate the sounds of human language, but also to apply it in a context, that is, to understand its meaning.

Among the case studies highlights the parrot Axel , who lived thirty years (from 1977 to 2007), and was trained by comparative psychologist Irene Pepperberg. As she remarked, she was able to communicate with the animal.

7. The rat

Despite being an animal that for many is unpleasant, for scientists it is very similar to humans, and proof of this is its great use in experiments. These rodents are highly sociable and work together for the good of the group.

The rats are able to plan and apply logic for problem solving. Some studies reveal that they are also sensitive animals, showing stress or remorse.

6. The crow

The crow is considered by many scientists as the most intelligent bird. They are social animals that form herds.

In New Caledonia it was found that the crows they use tools like knives to cut and throw nuts to the road waiting for a car to pass over and break them. This means that they are able to find ways to solve problems.

5. The octopus

The octopus is the most intelligent invertebrate that exists. They are lonely beings, but they are capable of recognize your surroundings and memorize long-term what they have been discovering. Its nervous system is complex, and the funny thing is that only a third of its neurons are located in the brain: the rest are distributed by the tentacles.

Nor are their capacities for mimicry and camouflage unnoticed, and they are known to be great escapists.

4. The elephant

The elephant is the terrestrial animal with the largest brain and has advanced cognitive abilities. For example, they are altruistic, that is, they sacrifice for the good of the herd, they self-medicate when they are sick (feeding on different plants depending on the disease) or they perform funeral rituals (they go to a "cemetery").

Its social organization is one of the most complex of the animal kingdom, with very intimate social relationships and family ties that only break with death. In captivity, they are animals that learn fast, have a great memory and have even been creative - remember the elephant that painted pictures.

3. The pig

Surely many think that the pig is an unpolished and intelligent animal. Well, the truth is that it is probably the cleanest pet: pigs refuse to defecate in nearby areas where they live or eat.

Pigs have a high level of intelligence. There are many studies on the pig's cognitive abilities, which show that they have a good long-term memory , they learn quickly, they have complex social interactions and they show empathy. Even some texts imply that the pig could have a level of intelligence superior to that of the chimpanzee.

2. The bottlenose dolphin

His fame precedes him; The bottlenose dolphin is popularly known as an intelligent cetacean. Your brain is much bigger than the human, they dominate a complex language of sounds and present very intimate social relationships, especially between mother and children.

Many studies support their cognitive abilities; for example, they are highly curious and are able to recognize themselves by seeing themselves in a mirror, that is, they are aware of themselves.

1. The great apes

The great apes are the closest brothers to the human being. This group is composed of the gorillas, the orangutans, the bonobos and the chimpanzees . It is probable that due to this closeness there is a great interest in the study of their characteristics, including their cognitive abilities.

The complex social interactions carried out by these animals, their use of tools to solve problems or the fact that they are they transmit their culture from generation to generation. In captivity it has been shown that they are capable of communicating with human beings by signing or revealing their creative abilities.

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Top 10 Most Intelligent Animals (February 2024).


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