Animals, both large and tiny, made our list of top 10 smartest animal species on the globe, showing that bigger is not always better too when it comes to minds. The new listing, created by experts in the vast domain of neuropsychiatry, contains creatures that have been commonly known for their intellect, as well as some awesome surprises.
The US-based specialists, who are past doctors of the American Organization for Human Psychiatry, focus primarily on the interface between neurology, psychiatry and medication. Such interdisciplinary study results in a better understanding on how individual people and other mammals’ brains function, which may show cures for common problems, like dementia.
10. Ants
Ants are the best team players and they show surprising individual intellect as well, as the specialists have observed in the wild. The bugs can get around long areas with ease, keeping in mind their long tracks.
Ants take care of themselves and of other members of their families, similar to many creatures and display altruism for allies, the experts referring to the fact that ants have been the second community on this planet (after termites) to create a basic form of agriculture. Human-established farming progressed much later.
9. Lizards
Lizards do not receive a lot of credit for their intellect, but the specialists consider than now it is finally the time to do it. Anole lizards, especially, make an impression on scientists with their intellectual abilities. Anoles illustrate problems solving, advanced learning and basic math skills, including the fact that their memory is outstanding.
In captivity, these reptiles can invent methods that they do not actually use when they are in the wild. They can utilize several different ideas (to solve a puzzle, for example) and can unlearn wrong techniques, easily fixing their course.
8. Bees
Included in the top are bees, which experts say that they use meaning and subjective ideas to fix problems in their everyday life. They have some sort of kaleidoscopic memory of each plant’s location and details on large areas, and learn from their adults where the best vegetation is. Bees self treat in their “cities” differently, and construct the very complicated honeycomb components that are the most efficient available for their honey storage.
7. Parrots
Curious and lively, parrots are also extremely intelligent. The experts said that parrots use multi-step methods to fix issues, such as determining how a complicated cage lock functions. For example, they described how a smart cockatoo learned a lock’s principles that needed to remove some screws, followed by removing a bolt and then switching a wheel before lastly moving an attachment back and forth. Other cockatoos that viewed this operation easily repeated the effective move.
A fast search on YouTube also shows that parrots completely disprove the idea that animals cannot dance.
6. Dogs
Dogs are very loyal to people that they often do not get the recognition they deserve for their own intellect. From a simple intelligence standpoint, our pets have learned up to a hundred different terms. The dog trainers know that service dogs display creativeness and advanced intelligence in helping the others. Dogs can also perfectly understand human feelings.
5. Octopuses
Do not let their soft tentacles deceive you. Octopuses are incredibly brilliant, according to the specialists researching them, who said that they distribute details between them, simulate the others’ behavior and interact by using colors, styles and flashes.
They have true learning potential, navigational skills and use innovative aggressive methods during hunting. They operate things as well as the humans do.
4. Crows
The species of birds are among the most intelligent creatures, with two categories on this particular top, and the first of them is represented by crows.
They are conscious of themselves and are capable to use basic math and analogies. They can solve immediately problems of higher-order and relational-matching. They use tools even better than the majority of (non-human) primates, twisting cables into hooks and using various different tools for just one task.
The researchers added that their studies show that crows comprehend the famous Archimedes principle, a famous discovery which tells us that the upward buoyant forces applied on a object immersed in water, whether partly or completely immersed, is similar to the weight of the liquid that the respective object displaces. This information allows birds to control water levels to get to their food.
3. Whales
Going further on our top are whales that show intricate interaction with their members and social skills. They collaborate in an excellent way for smart fishing, with each whale having a specific part. For example, the biologists described how three whales many times line up in one row and beat their tails in a synchronized action. This makes waves that can push seals on the near ice perches.
Whales also hunt below a bunch of fish in large circles, blowing air bubbles trap their seafood. This needs a lot of group work, as some whales go diving below, while the others try to herd the fish. Such strategies are passed on from one generation to the next.
2. Elephants
Elephants have advanced social abilities and often display sensible, sympathetic and loving feelings. Elephants have an awesome memory and can keep in mind friends and opponents for 50 years or more, based on their health and lifespan. Elephants living in the wild might live to about 60-65, and the oldest elephant officially known in captivity – lived 86 years.
In captivity, they have become great artists, as we have seen many times. Elephant interaction is intricate, including many differentiated vocalizations, while they are ‘talking’ to their close relatives who are more than 3 miles away. These animals are incredibly collaborative, supportive and consoling and mourn their deceased ones.
1. Dolphins
These incredible mammals continue to stun scientists. These underwater creatures in captivity are able to remember the messages of their partners for at least two decades, according to the biologists.
They also instantly recognize themselves in the mirrors and are very innovative in producing new methods to fish efficiently. They have sponges on the noses to protect them near marine stones. They have complex interaction with people, such as herding large groups of fish towards fishermen going in the water with netting. When these fish are about to be caught in the humans’ nets, the dolphins indicate these to the fishermen by hitting the water.
Missing from our Top 10 list are people and other species of primates that clearly succeed at social interaction, collaboration, device creating and many more. But can our species evaluate with great precision our own intellect in comparison to that of other creatures? It is almost impossible, since this verdict can only be in accordance with the particular species’ principles, mind framework and way of analyzing its environment.
Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10
_in_AP_W_IMG_9921.jpg){kind=link}
Leave a Reply